Histoire Jeu

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The Games Machines
A Complete History
Contents
Articles
First Generation Game Consoles
1
APF TV Fun 1
Coleco Telstar Marksman 2
First video game 3
Magnavox Odyssey 7
Philips Odyssey 11
Pong 15
Telstar 22
Second Generation Game Consoles
25
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System 25
APF Imagination Machine 28
APF-M1000 31
Arcadia 2001 32
Atari 2500 37
Atari 2600 38
Atari 2700 48
Atari 2800 50
Atari 5200 60
Bally Astrocade 64
ColecoVision 69
Epoch Cassette Vision 74
Fairchild Channel F 78
Intellivision 84
Leisure Vision 92
Magnavox Odyssey 92
My Vision 97
PlayCable 98
RCA Studio II 100
Telegames Personal Arcade 103
TV Scoreboard 104
Ultravision Video Arcade System 104
VC 4000 105
VTech CreatiVision 108
Vectrex 110
Third Generation Game Consoles
115
Action Max 115
Amstrad GX4000 117
Atari 7800 121
BBC Bridge Companion 130
Commodore 64 Games System 131
Dina 135
Halcyon 137
LJN Video Art 140
NEMO 141
Nintendo Entertainment System 142
PV-1000 159
Philips Videopac + G7400 160
Sega Master System 162
Sega SG-1000 Mark III 168
Terminator 174
VTech Socrates 176
View-Master Interactive Vision 178
Zemmix 180
Fourth Generation Game Consoles
183
Atari Lynx 183
CP System 188
CD-i 194
Commodore CDTV 199
Game Boy 204
Game Boy Color 209
Hartung Game Master 215
Konix Multisystem 217
Mega Drive 221
Mega-CD 237
Neo Geo 243
Neo-Geo CD 249
Sega 32X 252
Sega Game Gear 259
Super A'Can 264
Super Nintendo Entertainment System 266
SuperGrafx 280
Tandy Video Information System 284
TurboDuo 286
TurboGrafx-16 290
Fifth Generation Game Consoles
306
3DO Interactive Multiplayer 306
Amiga CD32 314
Apple Bandai Pippin 319
Atari Jaguar 322
Casio Loopy 329
FM Towns Marty 331
Game.com 334
Neo Geo Pocket 338
Nintendo 64 340
PC-FX 349
Pioneer LaserActive 353
Playdia 357
PlayStation 360
Sega Saturn 368
Virtual Boy 381
Sixth Generation Game Consoles
388
ApeXtreme 388
Apex Extreme PGC 389
Dreamcast 390
GP32 399
Game Boy Advance 403
Game Boy Advance SP 411
Game Boy Micro 416
IQue Player 421
L600 426
N-Gage 427
N-Gage QD 428
Neo Geo Pocket Color 430
Nintendo GameCube 433
Nuon 442
Panasonic M2 446
Panasonic Q 449
PlayStation 2 451
SwanCrystal 459
Tapwave Zodiac 463
WonderSwan 469
WonderSwan Color 473
XaviXPort gaming console 477
Xbox 478
Seventh Generation Game Consoles
486
Dingoo 486
EVO Smart Console 493
Ez Station 496
FC Twin 499
GP2X 510
GP2X Wiz 516
Game Wave Family Entertainment System 520
GP2X 522
HyperScan 528
N-Gage 530
Net Jet 540
Pandora 543
PlayStation 3 548
Retro Duo 565
Vii 568
Wii 571
Xbox 360 587
Zeebo 599
References
Article Sources and Contributors 604
Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 630
Article Licenses
License 639
1
First Generation Game Consoles
APF TV Fun
APF TV Fun
APF TV Fun (model 442)
Developer(s) APF Electronics Inc.
Publisher(s) APF Electronics Inc.
Platform(s) Arcade
Releasedate(s)
Genre(s) Sports simulation
Cabinet Standard
CPU AY-3-8500 chipset from General Instruments
Sound Amplified mono (one channel)
Display Vertical orientation, black-and-white raster display, standard resolution
The APF TV Fun is a series of early Pong clone consoles manufactured by APF Electronics Inc. and built in Japan
starting in 1976. The systems were among the first built on the General Instruments 'Pong on a chip', the AY-3-8500,
that allowed many manufacturers to compete against the Atari home pong.
The model 401 and 401a features four built in games, a built in speaker, and two controller knobs, Toggle Switches
(choices are "Professional" and "Amateur") for the following settings - Angle / Bat Size / Ball Speed. There are 2
buttons - Power and Start Game, and a dial to select between the four built-in games.
The 402 model, the Sportsarama, had peripherals including two more wired analog paddle controllers, and a plastic
all black light gun. The 402 had different options, lacking the angle/bat size/ball speed, but adding in options for
4-player games, a manual or auto serve, a serve button, and the light gun game. The 401 and the 402 models were
both built in the same faux woodgrain cabinet. Either could be powered by an AC adapter or by using six C size
batteries.
Other models included the 405, the 442, the 444, and the 500. Most or all the consoles were manufactured in Japan.
They also sold a 'Match' system, which was in a different, more boxy woodgrain cabinet. This had two detachable
wired controllers, based on the same General Instruments chip.
The TV Fun package is the first excursion of APF into the video game market; APF was formerly a calculator and
other small electronics developer. It was sold at Sears under the name Hockey Jockari. TV Fun was followed up by
the 8 bit APF-MP1000 in 1978 and then APF Imagination Machine in 1979. These were made to compete in the 2nd
generation of early ROM cartridge consoles, namely the Atari VCS.
APF TV Fun
2
APF TV Fun being Played
References
Coleco Telstar Marksman
The Telstar Marksman is a first-generation video game console that
featured a light gun. It was released by Coleco in 1978. Because it had
manufacturer-set amount of games, it is considered a dedicated
console. It was part of a series of Coleco Telstar Pong-based consoles;
it is essentially a Telstar Colortron bundled with a "3 in 1" light gun
and two shooting games. The Marksman light gun is a pistol that
features an attachable stock and barrel. It is similar in this regard to the
later-released Stack Light Rifle and the Sega Menacer. The elongated
barrel included a simple aiming sight.
In addition to the light gun, the system featured two paddle controllers built directly into the console. Its reported
features included "on-screen digital scoring" and three different difficulty settings (beginner, intermediate, pro). It
required two nine-volt batteries or Coleco's Perma Power AC adaptor to power the system.
Technical information
CPU: General Instrument AY-3-8512 chipset
Sound: One channel beeper
Display: 4 simultaneously displayed colors
Games
The console came bundled with six color games: Tennis, Hockey, Handball, Jai-Alai, Skeet and Target. The first
four games are variations on Pong, The last two games are single player shooting games that utilized the light gun.
All of the games are incredibly simple compared to the games of today or even the early 1980s. The sports games
were minor variations on Pong, with differences in the number of paddles, players, and the main surface to bounce
objects off of. Skeet consisted of aiming and shooting at a square that moved diagonally across the screen in one
direction, while Target was a variation that made the same square bounce around on the screen.
3
References
Telstar Marksman @ Old-computers.com
[1]
References
[1] http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=3& c=672
First video game
There are numerous debates over which game should be considered the first video game, with the answer depending
largely on how video games are defined. The evolution of video games represents a tangled web of several different
industries, including scientific, computer, arcade, and consumer electronics.
The "video" in "video game" traditionally refers to a raster display device. With the popular catch phrase use of the
term "video game", the term later came to imply all display types, formats, and platforms.
Historians have also sought to bypass the issue by instead using the more specific "digital games" descriptive.
[1]
This
term leaves out the earlier analog-based computer games.
History
The history of video games is filled with events and earlier technology that paved the way for the advent of video
games. It also includes games that represent direct steps in the evolution of computerized gaming, and lastly the
development and release of video games themselves.
Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device (1947)
Main article: Cathode ray tube amusement device
Circuitry schematic of the Cathode Ray Tube
Amusement Device, patented in 1948.
The earliest known interactive electronic game was by Thomas T.
Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann on a cathode ray tube.
[2]
The patent
was filed on January 25, 1947 and issued on December 14,
1948.Wikipedia:Link rot The game was a missile simulator inspired by
radar displays from World War II. It used analog circuitry, not digital,
to control the CRT beam and position a dot on the screen. Screen
overlays were used for targets since graphics could not be drawn at the
time.
[]
Chess (19471958)
Alan Turing, a British mathematician, developed a theoretical computer chess program as an example of machine
intelligence. In 1947, Turing wrote the theory for a program to play chess. His colleague Dietrich Prinz
[3]
wrote the
first limited program of chess for Manchester University's Ferranti Mark I. The program was only capable of
computing "mate-in-two" problems and was not powerful enough to play a full game. Input and output were offline,
there was no "video" involved.
First video game
4
Nim (1951)
A drawing of the NIMROD computer.
On May 5, 1951, the NIMROD computer, created by Ferranti, was
presented at the Festival of Britain. Using a panel of lights for its
display, it was designed exclusively to play the game of Nim; this was
the first instance of a digital computer designed specifically to play a
game.
[4]
This machine was based on an original design built by E.U.
Condon in 1941, after having acquired a patent in 1940. The machine
weighed over a ton, and a duplicate was displayed at the New York
World's Fair. NIMROD could play either the traditional or "reverse"
form of the game.
Strachey's Draughts Program (1951)
Main article: Christopher Strachey
Christopher Strachey developed a simulation of the game draughts for the Pilot ACE that ran for the first time on 30
July 1951 at NPL.
OXO / Noughts and Crosses (1952)
Main article: OXO
In 1952, Alexander S. Douglas made the first computer game to use an electronic graphical display. OXO, also
known as Noughts and Crosses, is a version of tic-tac-toe for the EDSAC computer at the University of Cambridge.
It was designed for the world's first stored-program computer, and used a rotary telephone controller for game
control. There is a description of another "fun" program for EDSAC.
[5]
Tennis for Two (1958)
In 1958, William Higinbotham made an interactive computer game named Tennis for Two for the Brookhaven
National Laboratory's annual visitor's day. This display, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, was meant to
promote atomic power, and used an analog computer and the vector display system of an oscilloscope.
[6][7]
Mouse in the Maze, Tic-Tac-Toe (1959)
In 19571961, a collection of interactive graphical programs were created on the TX-0 experimental computer at
MIT. These included Mouse in the Maze
[8]
and Tic-Tac-Toe.
[9]
Mouse in the Maze allowed users to use a light pen to
place maze walls, dots that represented bits of cheese, and (in some versions) glasses of martini. A virtual mouse
represented by a dot was then released and would traverse the maze to find the objects. Tic-Tac-Toe used the light
pen as well to play a simple game of noughts and crosses against the computer.
Spacewar! (1961)
In 1961, MIT students Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen created the game Spacewar! on a DEC
PDP-1 mini-computer which also used a vector display system. The game, generally considered the first shooter
game,Wikipedia:Citation needed spread to several of the early mini-computer installations, and reportedly was used
as a smoke test by DEC technicians on new PDP-1 systems before shipping, since it was the only available program
that exercised every aspect of the hardware.
[10]
Russell has been quoted as saying that the aspect of the game that he
was most pleased with was the number of other programmers it inspired to write their own games.
[11]
First video game
5
The Magnavox Odyssey released in 1972
Odyssey (1966)
In 1966, Ralph Baer resumed work on an initial idea he had in 1951 to
make an interactive game on a television set. In May 1967, Baer and an
associate created the first game to use a raster-scan video display, or
television set, directly displayed via modification of a video signal; it
was also the first video gaming device to be displayed in a television
commercial.
[12]
The "Brown Box", the last prototype of seven, was
released in May 1972 by Magnavox under the name Odyssey. It was the first home video game console.
Baer was involved in court battles over patents that spanned the 1970s and 1980s. These trials defined a video game
as an apparatus that displays games by manipulating the video display signal of the raster equipment, such as a
television set. Games prior to Odyssey did not use a video display, so did not qualify as such in the courts.
Galaxy Game (1971)
In 1971, Bill Pitts and Hugh Tuck developed the first coin-operated computer game, Galaxy Game, at Stanford
University using a DEC PDP-11/20 computer with vector displays; only one unit was ever built (although it was
later adapted to run up to eight games at once).
Computer Space (1971)
Two months after Galaxy Game's installation, Computer Space by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney was released,
which was the first coin-operated video game to be commercially sold (and the first widely available video game of
any kind). Both games were variations on the vector display 1961 Spacewar!;
Pong (1972)
Pong, also by Bushnell and Dabney, used the same television set design as Computer Space, and was not released
until 1972 a year after Computer Space. It was the first successful arcade video game and led to the popularization
of the medium.
Notes and references
[1] The Game Innovation Database (http:/ / www.gameinnovation. org/ )
[2] U.S. Patent #2,455,992 (http:/ / www.pong-story.com/ 2455992. pdf)
[3] http:/ / www. mosi. org.uk/ media/ 34368825/ ferranti%20mark%20i%20computer. pdf
[4] Nimrod Game Computer (http:/ / www.goodeveca. net/ nimrod/ )
[5] Maurice V. Wilkes Memoir of a Computer Pioneer p. 208 (Chapt. 19)
[6] Brookhaven History: The First Video Game (http:/ / www. bnl. gov/ bnlweb/ history/ higinbotham. asp)
[7] Rabin, Steve. Introduction to Game Development. Massachusetts: Charles River Media, 2005.
[8] The Computer Museum Report Volume 8, Spring 1984 (http:/ / www. bitsavers. org/ pdf/ mit/ tx-0/ TX-0_history_1984. txt), archived by
bitsavers.org
[9] "The origin of Spacewar" (http:/ / www. wheels. org/ spacewar/ creative/ SpacewarOrigin. html), Creative Computing magazine, August,
1981, J. M. Graetz, archived by wheels.org, retrieved 2010-2-17
[10] Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, Massachusetts:Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1984.
[11] "A Long Time Ago, in a Lab Far Away . . ." (http:/ / www. nytimes. com/ 2002/ 02/ 28/ technology/ a-long-time-ago-in-a-lab-far-away.
html?pagewanted=2), The New York Times, 28 February 2002
[12] Videogames Turn 40 (http:/ / www.1up.com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=0& cId=3159462)
First video game
6
External links
Research
Ralph H. Baer Papers, 19431953, 19661972, 2006 (http:/ / invention. smithsonian. org/ resources/
fa_baer_index. aspx) Ralph Baer's prototypes and documentation housed at the Smithsonian Lemelson Center.
pong-story.com (http:/ / www. pong-story. com)
Classic Gaming Expo 2000: Baer Describes the Birth of Videogames (http:/ / classicgaming. gamespy. com/
View. php?view=Articles. Detail& id=382)
Videogames Turn 40 (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=0& cId=3159462) at 1UP.com.
Game emulation
EDSAC Emulator (to play OXO) (http:/ / www. dcs. warwick. ac. uk/ ~edsac/ )
NIM Interactive Simulation for Be OS operating system (http:/ / www. goodeveca. net/ nimrod/ simulation. html)
Spacewar! Java Emulation (http:/ / spacewar. oversigma. com/ )
Tennis for Two Simulation (http:/ / www. gamersquarter. com/ tennisfortwo/ )
Magnavox Odyssey
7
Magnavox Odyssey
Magnavox Odyssey
Manufacturer Magnavox
Type Video game console
Generation First generation era
Retail availability
NA
1972
EU
1973
Discontinued 1975
Units sold 330,000
CPU None
Controller input Two paddles
Successor Magnavox Odyssey
The Magnavox Odyssey is the world's first commercial home video game console. It was first demonstrated in April
1972 and released in August of that year, predating the Atari Pong home consoles by three years. It is a digital video
game console, though is often mistakenly believed to be analog, due to misunderstanding of its hardware design (see
Design).
The Odyssey was designed by Ralph Baer, who began around 1966 and had a working prototype finished by 1968.
This prototype, known as the Brown Box, is now at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American
History in Washington, D.C..
Design
Like all other video game consoles, the Magnavox Odyssey is a digital console. However, like all consoles up until
the eighth generation, it uses analog circuitry for the video output, due to the fact that the televisions of its era were
analog; in addition to this, like the Nintendo 64 and later consoles, it featured an analog game controller. Due to
these two facts, many collectors mistakenly considered the Odyssey to be an analog console, which led Baer to
clarify that the console was indeed digital. The electronic signals exchanged between the various parts (ball and
players generators, sync generators, diode matrix, etc.) are binary. The games and logic itself are implemented in
DTL, a common pre-TTL digital design component using discrete transistors and diodes.
The system could be powered by six C batteries, which were included. An optional A/C power supply was sold
separately. The Odyssey lacks sound capability, something that was corrected with the "Pong systems" of several
years later, including Magnavox's own Odyssey-labeled Pong consoles. Ralph Baer proposed a sound extension to
Magnavox in 1973, but the idea was rejected.
The Odyssey uses a type of removable printed circuit board, called a game card, that inserts into a slot similar to a
ROM cartridge slot; these do not contain any components but have a series of jumpers between pins of the card
Magnavox Odyssey
8
connector. These jumpers interconnect different logic and signal generators to produce the desired game logic and
screen output components respectively.
The system was sold with translucent plastic overlays that players could put on their TV screen to simulate color
graphics, though only two TV sizes were supported. Some of these overlays could even be used with the same
cartridges, though with different rules for playing.
Odyssey came packed with dice, poker chips, and score sheets to help keep score, play money, and game boards
much like a traditional board game.
Ralph Baer is also believed to have proposed the concept of "active cartridges" containing additional electronic
components allowing adding more game features such as sound effects, variable net position, and variable ball
speed, though the idea apparently did not catch any interest.
Peripherals
The Odyssey was also designed to support an add-on peripheral, the first-ever commercial video "light gun" called
the Shooting Gallery. This detected light from the TV screen, though pointing the gun at a nearby light bulb also
registered as a "hit".Wikipedia:Citation needed
Baer also designed a putting game, which used a golf ball fixed to the top of a joystick which the player would hit
using a putter. This idea interested Magnavox, which took the prototype for testing, and was initially planned to be
released as an add-on like the electronic rifle, but ultimately was never released.
Baer replicated his active cards and putting game. They can be seen in the Museum of the Moving Image in New
York.
History
The Odyssey was released in August 1972. Close to 100,000 Odyssey games were sold in 1972. By the time newer
models made their appearance in 1974, Odyssey had racked total sales of about 350,000 units.
Magnavox settled a court case against Atari, Inc. for patent infringement in Atari's design of Pong, as it resembled
the tennis game for the Odyssey. Over the next decade, Magnavox sued other big companies such as Coleco, Mattel,
Seeburg, Activision and either won or settled every suit. In 1985, Nintendo sued Magnavox and tried to invalidate
Baer's patents by saying that the first video game was William Higinbotham's Tennis for Two game built in 1958.
The court ruled that this game did not use video signals and could not qualify as a video game. As a result, Nintendo
lost the suit and continued paying royalties to Sanders Associates.
Baer went on to invent the classic electronic game Simon for Milton Bradley in 1978. Magnavox later released
several other scaled down Pong-like consoles based under the Odyssey name (which did not use cartridges or game
cards), and at one point a truly programmable, cartridge based console, the Odyssey, in 1978.
List of games
A total of 27 games distributed and 12 different game cards were released for the Magnavox Odyssey.
Magnavox Odyssey
9
Title Cartridge Developer Publisher Year Genre Region
Analogic 3 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous

Baseball 3 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
Basketball 8 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
Brain Wave 3 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Cat and Mouse 4 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous

Dogfight 9 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Light Gun

Football 3, 4 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
Fun Zoo 2 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Handball 8 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
Haunted House 4 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous

Hockey 3 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports

Interplantary Voyage 12 Magnavox Magnavox 1973 Action
Invasion 4, 5, 6 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Percepts 2 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Prehistoric Safari 9 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Light Gun

Roulette 6 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Casino

Shooting Gallery 10 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Light Gun

Shootout 9 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Light Gun

Simon Says 2 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous

Ski 2 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports

Soccer 3, 5 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
States 6 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Educational
Submarine 5 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Shooter

Table Tennis 1 Magnavox, Nutting Associates Magnavox, Nutting Associates 1972 Sports

Tennis 3 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports

Volleyball 7 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Sports
Win 4 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Wipeout 5 Magnavox Magnavox 1972 Miscellaneous
Game Card 11 was originally planned for use with Basketball but was later canceled. Basketball works instead
with Game Card 8.
Magnavox Odyssey
10
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magnavox Odyssey.
Everything about the Odyssey (http:/ / www. pong-story. com/ odyssey. htm) by Ralph Baer's associate and
videogame historian David Winter
Magnavox Odyssey (http:/ / www. magnavox-odyssey. com/ ) The online Odyssey museum
Information about Ralph Baer's book Videogames: In The Beginning (http:/ / www. rolentapress. com/ )
Ralph Baer's story of the development of the Odyssey (http:/ / www. ralphbaer. com/ video_game_history. htm)
The Dot Eaters entry (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=odyssey) on the history of the Odyssey
ODYEMU (http:/ / www. pong-story. com/ odyemu. htm), an unfinished Odyssey simulator
Michael McCourt (http:/ / www. armchairarcade. com/ neo/ taxonomy/ term/ 948) reviews the Odyssey games on
Armchair Arcade
Philips Odyssey
11
Philips Odyssey
Magnavox Odyssey
Manufacturer Magnavox
Generation First generation era
Retail availability
NA
1972
The Magnavox Odyssey was a general brand name of the company's complete line of home video game consoles
released from 1972 through 1978. The line includes the original Magnavox Odyssey console, both Magnavox and
Philips versions of the Odyssey series of dedicated video game consoles, and the Magnavox Odyssey
cartridge-based video game console released in 1978.
Magnavox Odyssey
Main article: Magnavox Odyssey
The Magnavox Odyssey is the world's first home video game console and was released by Magnavox in 1972.
Designed by Ralph Baer and first demonstrated on May 24, 1972, it was sold by Magnavox and affiliates through
1975. The Odyssey uses a type of removable printed circuit board card that inserts into a slot similar to a cartridge
slot, allowing the player to select the unit's various games.
Dedicated Odysseys (19751977)
Odyssey 100
The Odyssey 100 dedicated console was released in 1975. It uses a multi-chip discrete component design, which
makes it much simpler than all later dedicated consoles Magnavox would eventually release. Magnavox already had
a single-chip design in mind that year, but wanted to have a product they could release immediately if Texas
Instruments, the supplier of their single video game chips, was unable to deliver in a timely manner.
[1]
The Odyssey 100 was designed around four Texas Instruments chips. It has two games (Tennis and Hockey). Neither
game had on-screen scoring and the system used a crude buzzer for sound. The Odyssey 100 is powered by either six
"C" batteries or a 9 volt AC adapter. Each player had three knobs for horizontal movement, vertical movement and
ball trajectory adjustment ("English").
Philips Odyssey
12
Odyssey 200
The Odyssey 200 dedicated console was released in 1975. Using the TI single-chip design, the console improved on
the Odyssey 100 in several areas. In addition to Tennis and Hockey, the Odyssey 200 featured a third game variation
called "Smash". The Odyssey 200 was also the first video game console to feature either two-player or four-player
options. The Odyssey 200 added non-digital on-screen scoring (a white rectangle moved one space to the right each
time a player scored a point). Like the Odyssey 100, the Odyssey 200 is powered by either six "C" batteries or a 9
volt AC adapter and uses the same game control knobs as its predecessor.
Odyssey 300
The Odyssey 300
The Odyssey 300 dedicated console was released in 1976. Unlike
Magnavox's previous two dedicated console products, the Odyssey 300
was meant to compete directly with the Coleco Telstar. Like the
Telstar, the Odyssey 300 uses the AY-3-8500 chip as its logic and was
among the first dedicated consoles to use a single IC chip as the focus
of its design rather than multiple computer chips or
transistortransistor logic.
[2]
The 300 has the same three games as the
Odyssey 200; unlike the 200, the Odyssey 300 console has three difficulty levels: Novice, Intermediate and Expert.
Odyssey 400
The Odyssey 400 dedicated console was released in 1976. The 400 is essentially the same as the Odyssey 200 with
automatic serve and on-screen digital scoring features added. The console plays the same three games as the 200 and
has the same three game control knobs. An additional Texas Instruments chip was used to implement on-screen
scoring.
[3]
Odyssey 500
The Odyssey 500 dedicated console was released in 1976. The console is essentially the same as the Odyssey 400
with one unique addition: instead of using vertical line "paddles", the console has special graphics that actually
resemble simplified versions of human players. Three different graphics were used for the three different game
variations; Magnavox marketed the 500 as having a fourth game (Soccer) by using the squash player graphics with
the hockey playing field.
Odyssey 2000
The Odyssey 2000 dedicated console was released in 1977. The 2000 was basically an updated version of the
Odyssey 300. Like the 300, the Odyssey 2000 uses the AY-3-8500 single-chip design (which is also used in the
Odyssey 3000). The Odyssey 2000 uses a single rotating knob for game control instead of the three knobs used by
earlier Magnavox dedicated video game consoles. In addition to the Tennis, Hockey and Squash ("Smash") game
variations, the 2000 adds the Practice variation of one-player squash.
[4]
Odyssey 3000
The Odyssey 3000 dedicated console was released in 1977. The 3000 features the same four game variations as the
Odyssey 2000. With the Odyssey 3000, Magnavox abandoned its old case design with one with a more
contemporary style. The console itself is more angular and less rounded; two flat buttons are used for the serve and
reset functions
[5]
and the console settings knobs were reduced in size. The Odyssey 3000 uses a flat circular knob for
selecting different games and unlike all previous Odyssey dedicated video game consoles, the 3000 features
detachable game paddles (without any fire buttons).
[6]
Philips Odyssey
13
Magnavox Odyssey 4000
Odyssey 4000
Magnavox concluded their line of dedicated video game consoles
with the Odyssey 4000. The Odyssey 4000 dedicated console was
released in 1977. Based around the AY-3-8600 single-chip design,
the 4000 features a total of eight game variations based on Tennis,
Hockey, Squash and Practice. Unlike the Odyssey 3000, the 4000
featured detachable joysticks. The AY-3-8615 chip enabled the
Odyssey 4000 to display color instead of black and white graphics.
Odyssey 5000 (prototype)
This console should contain two chips, National Semiconductor's MM57106 with 7 games (same as Odyssey 2100)
and Signetics' CR861 (aka MUGS) with a helicopter and a tank game.
Dedicated Philips Odyssey Series
Philips released their own licensed version of the original Magnavox Odyssey before purchasing Magnavox in 1974,
after which it continued to release its own versions of the dedicated Odyssey consoles.
Odyssey 200
The Odyssey 200 is the same as its US released counterpart. Released across Europe in 1976, it was replaced by the
Philips Odyssey 2001 in 1977.
[7]
Odyssey 2001
The Odyssey 2001 is the Philips version of the Magnavox Odyssey 4000, with differences in the games offered and
the use of detachable paddles instead of joysticks. Released in 1977, the 2001 is based on the National
Semiconductor MM-57105 chip, which plays Tennis, Hockey and Squash, and allows full color and direct sound on
the TV.
[8]
Odyssey 2100
The Odyssey 2100 was released in 1978 and uses the same case design as the 2001. Using the National
Semiconductor MM-57186N chip, the 2100 plays 6 games with multiple variations: Wipe-Out (Breakout style, 7
variants), Flipper (7 variants), Tennis (2 variants), Handball (2 variants), Ice Hockey (2 variants), Football (3
variants).
[9]
Philips Odyssey
14
Philips Odyssey 200
Philips Odyssey 2001
Philips Odyssey 2100
In popular culture
In Russ Meyer's 1979 film Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, Ann Marie is seen playing with an Odyssey 300.
References
[1] Pong-Story - Magnavox and the Odyssey systems (http:/ / www. pong-story. com/ odyssey_other. htm)
[2] OLD-COMPUTERS.COM - Magnavox Odyssey 300 (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?c=1281& st=3)
[3] OLD-COMPUTERS.COM - Magnavox Odyssey 400 (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=3& c=1282)
[4] OLD-COMPUTERS.COM - Magnavox Odyssey 2000 (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=3& c=1284)
[5] HuguesJohnson.com - Midwest Gaming Classic 2008 (http:/ / www. huguesjohnson. com/ features/ mgc2008/ index. html)
[6] Good Deal Games - Home Video Game Console History (http:/ / www. gooddealgames. com/ articles/ Home Video Game History. html)
[7] Pong-Story : Philips Odyssey 200 (http:/ / www. pong-story. com/ o200aus. htm)
[8] Pong-Story : Philips Odyssey 2001 (http:/ / www.pong-story. com/ ody2001. htm)
[9] Pong-Story : Philips Odyssey 2100 (http:/ / www.pong-story. com/ ody2100. htm)
Pong
15
Pong
For other uses, see Pong (disambiguation).
Pong
An upright cabinet of Pong signed by Pong creator Allan Alcorn.
Developer(s) Atari Inc.
Publisher(s) Atari Inc.
Designer(s) Allan Alcorn
Series Pong
Platform(s) Arcade
Releasedate(s) 1972
Genre(s) Sports
Cabinet Upright
CPU Discrete
Sound Monaural
Display Vertical orientation, black-and-white raster display, standard resolution
Pong (marketed as PONG) is one of the earliest arcade video games; it is a tennis sports game featuring simple
two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of
the first video games to reach mainstream popularity. The aim is to defeat an opponent in a simulated table-tennis
game by earning a higher score. The game was originally manufactured by Atari Incorporated (Atari), who released
it in 1972. Allan Alcorn created Pong as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell.
Bushnell based the idea on an electronic ping-pong game included in the Magnavox Odyssey, which later resulted in
a lawsuit against Atari. Surprised by the quality of Alcorn's work, Bushnell and Dabney decided to manufacture the
game.
Pong quickly became a success and is the first commercially successful arcade video game machine, which helped to
establish the video game industry along with the first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey. Soon after its release,
several companies began producing games that copied Pong's gameplay, and eventually released new types of
games. As a result, Atari encouraged its staff to produce more innovative games. The company released several
sequels that built upon the original's gameplay by adding new features. During the 1975 Christmas season, Atari
Pong
16
released a home version of Pong exclusively through Sears retail stores. It was also a commercial success and led to
numerous copies. The game has been remade on numerous home and portable platforms following its release. Pong
has been referenced and parodied in multiple television shows and video games, and has been a part of several video
game and cultural exhibitions.
Gameplay
The two paddles return the ball back and forth.
The score is kept by the numbers (0 and 1) at the
top of the screen.
Pong is a two-dimensional sports game that simulates table tennis. The
player controls an in-game paddle by moving it vertically across the
left side of the screen, and can compete against either a
computer-controlled opponent or another player controlling a second
paddle on the opposing side. Players use the paddles to hit a ball back
and forth. The aim is for each player to reach eleven points before the
opponent; points are earned when one fails to return the ball to the
other.
Development and history
See also: Origin of Atari Inc.
Atari engineer Allan Alcorn designed and built
Pong as a training exercise.
Pong was the first game developed by Atari Inc. (incorporated in June
1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney). After producing Computer
Space, Bushnell decided to form a company to produce more games by
licensing ideas to other companies. The first contract was with Bally
Manufacturing Corporation for a driving game. Soon after the
founding, Bushnell hired Allan Alcorn because of his experience with
electrical engineering and computer science; Bushnell and Dabney also
had previously worked with him at Ampex. Prior to working at Atari,
Alcorn had no experience with video games. To acclimate Alcorn to
creating games, Bushnell gave him a project secretly meant to be a
warm-up exercise. Bushnell told Alcorn that he had a contract with
General Electric for a product, and asked Alcorn to create a simple
game with one moving spot, two paddles, and digits for score keeping.
In 2011, Bushnell stated that the game was inspired by previous
versions of electronic tennis he had played before; Bushnell played a
version on a PDP-1 computer in 1964 while attending college.
However, Alcorn has claimed it was in direct response to Nolan's
viewing of the Magnavox Odyssey's Tennis game. In May 1972, Bushnell had visited the Magnavox Profit Caravan
in Burlingame, California where he played the Magnavox Odyssey demonstration, specifically the table tennis game.
Though he thought the game lacked quality, seeing it prompted Bushnell to assign the project to Alcorn.
Alcorn first examined Bushnell's schematics for Computer Space, but found them to be illegible. He went on to
create his own designs based on his knowledge of transistortransistor logic and Bushnell's game. Feeling the basic
game was too boring, Alcorn added features to give the game more appeal. He divided the paddle into eight
segments to change the ball's angle of return. For example, the center segments return the ball a 90 angle in relation
to the paddle, while the outer segments return the ball at smaller angles. He also made the ball accelerate the longer it
remained in play; missing the ball reset the speed. Another feature was that the in-game paddles were unable to reach
the top of screen. This was caused by a simple circuit that had an inherent defect. Instead of dedicating time to fixing
Pong
17
the defect, Alcorn decided it gave the game more difficulty and helped limit the time the game could be played; he
imagined two skilled players being able to play forever otherwise.
Three months into development, Bushnell told Alcorn he wanted the game to feature realistic sound effects and a
roaring crowd. Dabney wanted the game to "boo" and "hiss" when a player lost a round. Alcorn had limited space
available for the necessary electronics and was unaware of how to create such sounds with digital circuits. After
inspecting the sync generator, he discovered that it could generate different tones and used those for the game's
sound effects. To construct the prototype, Alcorn purchased a $75 Hitachi black-and-white television set from a local
store, placed it into a 4-foot (1.2m) wooden cabinet, and soldered the wires into boards to create the necessary
circuitry. The prototype impressed Bushnell and Dabney so much that they felt it could be a profitable product and
decided to test its marketability.
In August 1972, Bushnell and Alcorn installed the Pong prototype at a local bar, Andy Capp's Tavern. They selected
the bar because of their good working relation with the bar's manager, Bill Gattis; Atari supplied pinball machines to
Gattis. Bushnell and Alcorn placed the prototype on one of the tables near the other entertainment machines: a
jukebox, pinball machines, and Computer Space. The game was well received the first night and its popularity
continued to grow over the next one and a half weeks. Bushnell then went on a business trip to Chicago to
demonstrate Pong to executives at Bally and Midway Manufacturing; he intended to use Pong to fulfill his contract
with Bally, rather than the driving game. A few days later, the prototype began exhibiting technical issues and Gattis
contacted Alcorn to fix it. Upon inspecting the machine, Alcorn discovered that the problem was the coin mechanism
was overflowing with quarters.
After hearing about the game's success, Bushnell decided there would be more profit for Atari to manufacture the
game rather than license it, but the interest of Bally and Midway had already been piqued. Bushnell decided to
inform each of the two groups that the other was uninterestedBushnell told the Bally executives that the Midway
executives did not want it and vice versato preserve the relationships for future dealings. Upon hearing Bushnell's
comment, the two groups declined his offer. Bushnell had difficulty finding financial backing for Pong; banks
viewed it as a variant of pinball, which at the time the general public associated with the Mafia. Atari eventually
obtained a line of credit from Wells Fargo that it used to expand its facilities to house an assembly line. The
company announced "Pong on 29 November 1972. Management sought assembly workers at the local unemployment
office, but was unable to keep up with demand. The first arcade cabinets produced were assembled very slowly,
about ten machines a day, many of which failed quality testing. Atari eventually streamlined the process and began
producing the game in greater quantities. By 1973, they began shipping Pong to other countries with the aid of
foreign partners.
Home version
Atari's Home Pong console, released through
Sears in 1975
The success of Pong resulted in Bushnell pushing his employees to
create new products. In 1974, Atari engineer Harold Lee proposed a
home version of Pong that would connect to a television: Home Pong.
The system began development under the codename Darlene, named
after an attractive female employee at Atari. Alcorn worked with Lee
to develop the designs and prototype, and based them on the same
digital technology used in their arcade games. The two worked in shifts
to save time and money; Lee worked on the design's logic during the
day, while Alcorn debugged the designs in the evenings. After the
designs were approved, fellow Atari engineer Bob Brown assisted
Alcorn and Lee in building a prototype. The prototype consisted of a
Pong
18
device attached to a wooden pedestal containing over a hundred wires, which would eventually be replaced with a
single chip designed by Alcorn and Lee; the chip had yet to be tested and built before the prototype was constructed.
The chip was finished in the latter half of 1974, and was, at the time, the highest performing chip used in a consumer
product.
Bushnell and Gene Lipkin, Atari's vice-president of sales, approached toy and electronic retailers to sell Home Pong,
but were rejected. Retailers felt the product was too expensive and would not interest consumers. Atari contacted the
Sears Sporting Goods department after noticing a Magnavox Odyssey advertisement in the sporting goods section of
its catalog. Atari staff discussed the game with a representative, Tom Quinn, who expressed enthusiasm and offered
the company an exclusive deal. Believing they could find more favorable terms elsewhere, Atari's executives
declined and continued to pursue toy retailers. In January 1975, Atari staff set up a Home Pong booth at a toy trade
fair in New York City, but was unsuccessful in soliciting orders.
While at the show, they met Quinn again, and, a few days later, set up a meeting with him to obtain a sales order. In
order to gain approval from the Sporting Goods department, Quinn suggested Atari demonstrate the game to
executives in Chicago. Alcorn and Lipkin traveled to the Sears Tower and, despite a technical complication, obtained
approval. Bushnell told Quinn he could produce 75,000units in time for the Christmas season; however, Quinn
requested double the amount. Though Bushnell knew Atari lacked the capacity to manufacture 150,000units, he
agreed. Atari acquired a new factory through funding obtained by venture capitalist Don Valentine. Supervised by
Jimm Tubb, the factory fulfilled the Sears order. The first units manufactured were branded with Sears'
"Tele-Games" name. Atari later released a version under its own brand in 1976.
The Magnavox Odyssey, invented by Ralph H.
Baer, inspired Pong's development.
Lawsuit from Magnavox
The success of Pong attracted the attention of Ralph Baer, the inventor
of the Magnavox Odyssey, and his employer, Sanders Associates.
Sanders had an agreement with Magnavox to handle the Odyssey's
sublicensing, which included dealing with infringement on its
exclusive rights. However, Magnavox had not pursued legal action
against Atari and numerous other companies that released Pong clones.
Sanders continued to apply pressure, and in April 1974 Magnavox filed
suit against Atari, Bally Midway, Allied Leisure and Chicago Dynamics. Magnavox argued that Atari had infringed
on Baer's patents and his concept of electronic ping-pong based on detailed records Sanders kept of the Odyssey's
design process dating back to 1966. Other documents included depositions from witnesses and a signed guest book
that demonstrated Bushnell had played the Odyssey's table tennis game prior to releasing Pong. In response to claims
that he saw the Odyssey, Bushnell later stated that, "The fact is that I absolutely did see the Odyssey game and I
didn't think it was very clever."
After considering his options, Bushnell decided to settle with Magnavox out of court. Bushnell's lawyer felt they
could win; however, he estimated legal costs of US$1.5 million, which would have exceeded Atari's funds.
Magnavox offered Atari an agreement to become a licensee for US$0.7million. Other companies producing "Pong
clones"Atari's competitorswould have to pay royalties. In addition, Magnavox would obtain the rights to Atari
products developed over the next year. Magnavox continued to pursue legal action against the other companies, and
proceedings began shortly after Atari's settlement in June 1976. The first case took place at the district court in
Chicago, with Judge John Grady presiding. To avoid Magnavox obtaining rights to its products, Atari decided to
delay the release of its products for a year, and withheld information from Magnavox's attorneys during visits to
Atari facilities.
Pong
19
Impact and legacy
Dedicated Pong consoles made their way to
various countries, like this Russian .
See also: History of the video game industry
The Pong arcade games manufactured by Atari were a great success.
The prototype was well received by Andy Capp's Tavern patrons;
people came to the bar solely to play the game. Following its release,
Pong consistently earned four times more revenue than other
coin-operated machines. Bushnell estimated that the game earned
US$3540 per day, which he described as nothing he'd ever seen
before in the coin-operated entertainment industry at the time. The
game's earning power resulted in an increase in the number of orders
Atari received. This provided Atari with a steady source of income; the company sold the machines at three times the
cost of production. By 1973, the company had filled 2,500orders, and, at the end of 1974, sold more than
8,000units. The arcade cabinets have since become collector's items with the cocktail-table version being the rarest.
Soon after the game's successful testing at Andy Capp's Tavern, other companies began visiting the bar to inspect it.
Similar games appeared on the market three months later, produced by companies like Ramtek and Nutting
Associates. Atari could do little against the competitors as they had not initially filed for patents on the solid state
technology used in the game. When the company did file for patents, complications delayed the process. As a result,
the market consisted primarily of "Pong clones"; author Steven Kent estimated that Atari had produced less than a
third of the machines. Bushnell referred to the competitors as "Jackals" because he felt they had an unfair advantage.
His solution to competing against them was to produce more innovative games and concepts.
Home Pong was an instant success following its limited 1975 release through Sears; around 150,000units were sold
that holiday season. The game became Sears' most successful product at the time, which earned Atari a Sears Quality
Excellence Award. Similar to the arcade version, several companies released clones to capitalize on the home
console's success, many of which continued to produce new consoles and video games. Magnavox re-released their
Odyssey system with simplified hardware and new features, and would later release updated versions. Coleco
entered the video game market with their Telstar console; it features three Pong variants and was also succeeded by
newer models. Nintendo released the Color TV Game 6 in 1977, which plays six variations of electronic tennis. The
next year, it was followed by an updated version, the Color TV Game 15, which features fifteen variations. The
systems were Nintendo's entry into the home video game market and the first to produce themselvesthey had
previously licensed the Magnavox Odyssey. The dedicated Pong consoles and the numerous clones have since
become varying levels of rare; Atari's Pong consoles are common, while APF Electronics' TV Fun consoles are
moderately rare. Prices among collectors, however, vary with rarity; the Sears Tele-Games versions are often
cheaper than those with the Atari brand.
Several publications consider Pong the game that launched the video game industry as a lucrative enterprise. Video
game author David Ellis sees the game as the cornerstone of the video game industry's success, and called the arcade
game "one of the most historically significant" titles. Kent attributes the "arcade phenomenon" to Pong and Atari's
games that followed it, and considers the release of the home version the successful beginning of home video game
consoles. Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton of Gamasutra referred to the game's release as the start of a new
entertainment medium, and commented that its simple, intuitive gameplay made it a success. Many of the companies
that produced their own versions of Pong eventually became well-known within the industry. Nintendo entered the
video game market with clones of Home Pong. The revenue generated from themeach system sold over a million
unitshelped the company survive a difficult financial time, and spurred them to pursue video games further. After
seeing the success of Pong, Konami decided to break into the arcade game market and released its first title, Maze.
Its moderate success drove the company to develop more titles.
Pong
20
Sequels and remakes
Bushnell felt the best way to compete against imitators was to create better products, leading Atari to produce
sequels in the years followings the original's release: Pong Doubles, Super Pong, Quadrapong, and Pin-Pong. The
sequels feature similar graphics, but include new gameplay elements; for example, Pong Doubles allows four players
to compete in pairs, while Quadrapong has them compete against each other in a four way field. Bushnell also
conceptualized a free-to-play version of Pong to entertain children in a Doctor's office. He initially titled it Snoopy
Pong and fashioned the cabinet after Snoopy's doghouse with the character on top, but retitled it to Puppy Pong and
altered Snoopy to a generic dog to avoid legal action. Bushnell later used the game in his chain of Chuck E. Cheese's
restaurants. In 1976, Atari released Breakout, a single-player variation of Pong where the object of the game is to
remove bricks from a wall by hitting them with a ball. Like Pong, Breakout was followed by numerous clones that
copied the gameplay: Arkanoid, Alleyway, Break 'Em All.
Atari remade the game on numerous platforms. In 1977, Pong and several variants of the game were featured in
Video Olympics, one of the original release titles for the Atari 2600. Pong has also been included in several Atari
compilations on platforms including the Sega Mega Drive, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and personal
computer. Through an agreement with Atari, Bally Gaming and Systems developed a slot machine version of the
game. The Atari developed TD Overdrive includes Pong as an extra game to be played during the loading screen. In
1999, the game was remade for home computers and the PlayStation with 3D graphics and power-ups.
In popular culture
Pong has appeared in several facets of popular culture. The game is prominently featured in episodes of television
series: That '70s Show, King of the Hill, and Saturday Night Live. In 2006, an American Express commercial
featured Andy Roddick in a tennis match against the white, in-game paddle. Other video games have also referenced
and parodied Pong; for example Neuromancer for the Commodore 64 and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts for the
Xbox 360. The concert event Video Games Live has performed audio from Pong as part of a special retro "Classic
Arcade Medley". Frank Black's song "Whatever Happened to Pong?" on the album Teenager of the Year heavily
references the game's elements.
Dutch design studio Buro Vormkrijgers created a Pong-themed clock as a fun project within their offices. After the
studio decided to manufacture it for retail, Atari took legal action in February 2006. The two companies eventually
reached an agreement in which Buro Vormkrijgers could produce a limited number under license.
In 1999, French artist Pierre Huyghe created an installation entitled "Atari Light", in which two people use handheld
gaming devices to play Pong on an illuminated ceiling. The work was shown at the Venice Biennale in 2001, and the
Museo de Arte Contemporneo de Castilla y Len in 2007.
The game was included in the London Barbican Art Gallery's 2002 Game On exhibition meant to showcase the
various aspects of video game history, development, and culture.
Pong
21
References
Further reading
Cohen, Scott (1984). Zap! The Rise and Fall of Atari. McGraw-Hill. ISBN978-0-07-011543-9.
Herman, Leonard (1997). Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames. Rolenta Press. ISBN978-0-9643848-2-8.
Kline, Stephen; Dyer-Witheford, Nick; De Peuter, Greig (2003). Digital Play: The interaction of Technology,
Culture and Marketing. McGill-Queen's Press. ISBN978-0-7735-2591-7.
Lowood, H. (2009). "Videogames in Computer Space: The Complex History of Pong". IEEE Annals of the
History of Computing 31 (3). pp.519. doi: 10.1109/MAHC.2009.53 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1109/ MAHC.
2009. 53).
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pong.
Pong-story.com (http:/ / www. pong-story. com), the most comprehensive site about Pong and its origins.
The Atari Museum (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ ) An in-depth look at Atari and its history
RetroGaming Roundup (http:/ / www. retrogamingroundup. com/ shownotes/ 2011/ roundup031_2011. 05. htm)
Part 1 of 2 hour interview with designer Al Alcorn
Pong variants (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game-group/ pong-variants) at MobyGames
Telstar
22
Telstar
Telstar
Manufacturer Coleco
Type Dedicated console
Generation First generation
Retail availability 1976-1978
Successor ColecoVision (1982-1984)
The Telstar is a series of video game consoles produced by Coleco from 1976 to 1978. Starting with Telstar Pong
clone based on General Instrument's AY-3-8500 chip in 1976, there were 14 consoles released in the Telstar branded
series. One million Telstar units were sold.
Models
1. Telstar (model 6040, 1976): Three Pong variants (hockey, handball, tennis), two paddle controllers fixed on
console. This was the very first game to use the AY-3-8500 chip.
[1]
2. Telstar Classic (model 6045, 1976): Same as the Telstar, with deluxe wood case.
3. Telstar Deluxe (1977): aka "Video World Of Sports", same as the Telstar but brown pedestal case with wood
panel, made for Canadian market with French and English text.
4. Telstar Ranger (model 6046, 1977): Four Pong variants (hockey, handball, tennis, jai alai) and two gun games
(target, skeet), black and white plastic case, includes revolver-style light gun and separate paddle controllers. Uses
the AY-3-8500 chip.
5. Telstar Alpha (model 6030, 1977): Four Pong variants, black and white plastic case, fixed paddles. Uses the
AY-3-8500 chip.
6. Telstar Colormatic (model 6130, 1977): Same as the Telstar Alpha but with detached wired paddles as well as
color graphics. Uses the AY-3-8500 game chip and the Texas Instruments SN76499N chip for color.
7. Telstar Regent (model 6036, 1977): Same as the Telstar Colormatic but no color and black and white case.
8. Telstar Sportsman (1978): Similar to Telstar Regent, but with an additional light gun and different setting
switches.
9. Telstar Combat! (model 6065, 1977): Four variations on Kee Games' Tank, four fixed joysticks (two per
player), uses a General Instruments AY-3-8700 Tank chip.
10. Telstar Colortron (model 6135, 1978): Four Pong variants, in color, built in sound, fixed paddles, uses
AY-3-8510 chip.
11. Telstar Marksman (model 6136, 1978): Four Pong variants and two gun games in color, larger light gun with
removable stock, fixed paddles, uses AY-3-8512 chip.
12. Telstar Galaxy: Separate joysticks and fixed paddles, uses AY-3-8600 game chip and AY-3-8615 color
encoder.
Telstar
23
13. Telstar Gemini (1978): Four pinball games and two light-gun games in color, light gun, two flipper buttons on
left and right sides of case, pinball launch button and field adjustment sliders on top, light gun, uses a MOS
Technology MPS 7600-004 chip.
14. Telstar Arcade (1977): Cartridge-based, triangular case includes light gun, steering wheel with gear shift, and
paddles, one on each side. Each cartridge includes a customized MOS Technology MPS-7600 chip (one of these
chips was the 004 used by the Gemini). The chip contained custom logic circuits driven by a basic processor
which ran a very small program stored in ROM.
The large product lineup and the impending fading out of the Pong machines led Coleco to face near-bankruptcy in
1980Wikipedia:Citation needed.
Telstar Alpha
Telstar Colormatic
Telstar Colortron
Telstar Marksman
Telstar Arcade with cartridge n.1 on top
Telstar
24
References
[1] http:/ / colecomuseum. com/ colecotelstar.php
External links
The ColecoVision, with 1982 TV commercial (http:/ / www. fabtintoys. com/ Colecovision/ )
Pong-Story: All Coleco Telstar systems, with photos (http:/ / www. pong-story. com/ coleco. htm)
Telstar and other systems (http:/ / www. classicgaming. com/ gamingmuseum/ museum. html)
The Dot Eaters entry (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=colecovision) on the history of Telstar and Coleco
The COLECO Story by Ralph H. Baer (http:/ / pongmuseum. com/ history/ baer-theCOLECOstory. php)
25
Second Generation Game Consoles
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
The Acetronic MPU 1000
Manufacturer Radofin
Generation Second generation
Media Cartridge
CPU 8-bit Signetics 2650AI @ 4.43MHz
The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System is a video game console released by European company
Radofin in 1976. It is part of a group of software-compatible consoles which include the Interton VC-4000 and the
Voltmace Database. The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System included its power pack inside the console
instead of an exterior power pack.
Specifications
PCB Scan of the Acetronic MPU-1000.
CPU: 8-bit Signetics 2650AI at
4.43MHz
Audiovisual co-processor (video chipset,
I/O Processor): Signetics 2636N at
3.58MHz, addressing 32Kb of memory
in 8Kb banks. This chipset was less
powerful than the later model Signetics
2637N used in the Arcadia 2001.
Data Memory: 43 bytes
Graphics
Sprites: 4 single colour sprites (1 can be
8 colours)
1 Score line displaying 4 BCD digits
Background consisting of a series of alternating lines
26
Misc
Controllers: 2 12-button with 2-axis control stick
Power Supply: Input 250V, 50Hz; Output 9.5V, 0.4A & 15V, 0.11A
The early games cartridges used a 2 K.Byte ROM, later ones, such as Activision branded ones, up to 8 K.Bytes
Very basic arcade machine sound.
User programming
An expensive (49 in the UK in 1977) Hobby Module was available which gave 6.5 K.Bytes of user programmable
memory and had a 5 pin DIN socket to allow software to be saved to a cassette tape player. This converted the unit
into a halfway house between a home computer and an ordinary gaming console.
User had to be familiar with programming in Signetics 2650 assembly language and the unconventional ways and
register architecture of the Signetics 2650 processor. For example on many other processors a code of 00 Hex = No
Operation whereas on the 2650 it instructs the processor to Branch To Address In Immediate Register B.... which
was the source of many software debugging hastles for budding home programmers.
Released versions
The console was produced by different companies and sold with different names. Not every console is compatible
with others due to differences in the shapes and dimensions of the cartridge slots (but all of the consoles are software
compatible). Here a table of the consoles grouped by compatibility family (due to the slots).
Name Manufacturer Country Compatibility family Other
1292 Advanced
Programmable Video System
Radofin 1292 Advanced
Programmable Video
System
Known also as "Radofin Programmierbares
Video System" in Germany (1976)
1392 Advanced
(1976)
HMG-1292 Advanced
Hanimex
HMG-1392 Advanced
Force 2 Fountain
1292 Advanced
1392 Advanced
Advanced Programmable
Video System
Grandstand
Lansay 1392 Lansay
PP-1292 Advanced
Audiosonic
PP-1392 Advanced
VC-6000 Prinztronic (1976)
Tournament
MPU-1000 Acetronic (1979) (Pictured)
MPU-2000 (1979)
27
Database Videomaster Database
Database Waddington/Voltmace United
Kingdom
(1980)
Television Computer System Rowtron United
Kingdom
Television Computer
System
Jeu Video TV Karvan Francia Video TV Game
OC-2000 Societe Occitane
Electronique
France
MPT-05 ITMC MPT-05
Super Play Computer 4000 Grundig Germany Interton VC-4000
VC 4000 Interton (1978)
APF Imagination Machine
28
Manufacturer APF Electronics Inc
Retail availability 1979
Media Cartridges, Compact Cassette
CPU Motorola 6800
The APF Imagination Machine is a combination home video game console and computer system released by APF
Electronics Inc. in late 1979. It was composed of two separate components, the APF-M1000 game system, and an
add on docking bay with full sized typewriter keyboard and tape drive. The APF-M1000 was built specifically to
compete with the Atari 2600. The Imagination Machine has the distinction of being one of, if not the first, affordable
home PCs to connect to the television, and is still one of the most expandable consoles ever marketed. The full APF
Imagination Machine, including the APF-M1000 console and the IM-1 computer component originally sold for
around $700.
Specifications
CPU: 8-bit 0.89 MHz Motorola 6800 (3.579 MHz Oscillator divided by 4)
ROM: 14 KB
RAM: 9 KB expandable to 17 KB (8 KB / 16 KB + 1 KB)
Video Display Controller: MC6847
Resolutions: 2561924 / 1281928
Colors: 8
One sound channel in 5 Octaves
Controllers: 2
13 buttons
0-9 numeric keypad
Clear and End key
Trigger
4 way joystick
Special features
The APF Imagination Machine had a few stand out features for its time.
APF Basic
First and foremost, was the bundled APF Basic compiler, which would allow almost anyone to program their own
games and programs. Most retailers of the system offered a full and hefty instruction manual to teach you how the
specialized code worked, and most even offered a tech sheet that specified every function of every chip on the
console, so as to allow the users to make the most efficient code possible. To encourage more home users to create
29
their own games and trade them, a monthly mailing list was started that lasted well through the video game crash of
'83 and into the era of the next generation of consoles.
Special cassette
Second, and often one of the most marketed features of the console, was the fact that it had a dual sided cassette
drive, that would allow the user to not only write or use a game or program from it, but also either record their own
voice to it or listen to prerecorded audio. The feature was generally used for programmers to leave notes of their
work, or for instructions to be read aloud before a game was played.
Peripherals
Third, the console had an unprecedented number of aftermarket add-ons, which included:
RS232 Storage Cartridge
Floppy Disk Storage
8k RAM Cartridge
Mini Floppy Disk Storage
Telephone Modem
As well as a hub of sorts, generally called the "building block" which would allow for the connection of a good deal
of standard computer accessories.
Games
Only 15 official game cartridges were ever released by APF Electronics Inc, and 1 cartridge that came with the
console, the Basic interpreter; although several game cartridges contained multiple titles. Many games were created
by an active programming community of owners and distributed through their monthly newsletter, but these were all
released only on tape cassette form, or in some cases, merely as a print out of the code that would have to be typed in
if it was not transferred through a copied cassette.
The official game list is as follows:
Artist and Easel
Backgammon
Baseball
Blackjack
Bowling / Micro Match
Boxing
Brickdown / Shooting Gallery
Budget Manager
Casino
Catena
Hangman / Tic-Tac-Toe / Doodle
Pinball / Dungeon Hunt / Blockout
Rocket Patrol
Space Destroyers
UFO / Sea Monster / Break it down / Rebuild / Shoot
30
APF IM-2 Console
APF had planned on releasing a follow up to the original M1000 Imagination Machine game console, but went out
of business just before the console could go to market. No official specs have ever been released, although some who
were with the company at the time have mentioned that it was essentially the same M1000 core with typical
upgrades.
References
External links
APF Imagination Machine Page (http:/ / www. nausicaa. net/ ~lgreenf/ apfpage. htm)
Home Computer and Video Game Museum - APF Imagination Machine (http:/ / hcvgm. org/
APF_Imagination_Machine.html)
The Trailing Edge APF Page (http:/ / www. trailingedge. com/ compwant. html?theKey=apfimagination&
byCompany=0)
Stage Select APF M1000 Game List (http:/ / www. stageselect. com/ games/ browsegamelist.
asp?btnsubmit=Go& SystemID=24)
OLD-COMPUTERS.COM museum ~ APF Imagination Machine entry (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/
museum/ computer. asp?c=584& st=1)
APF Consoles and Computers discussion group, on Yahoo Groups (http:/ / tech. groups. yahoo. com/ group/
apf_consoles_and_computers/ )
APF-M1000
31
APF-M1000
APF-MP1000
Manufacturer APF Electronics Inc
Media Cartridges
The APF-MP1000 is an early 8-bit cartridge-based game console released in 1978 by APF Electronics Inc. The
controllers are non-detachable joysticks which also have numeric keypads. The APF-MP1000 can only be used with
a color TV and comes built-in with the game Rocket Patrol. The APF-MP1000 is a part of the APF Imagination
Machine.
It is the successor to the APF TV Fun line of first generation consoles.
Technical specifications
CPU : Motorola 6800 (8 bit) @ 3.579MHz
RAM : 1 KB
Palette : 8 colors
Resolution : 256x192
Power Supply: 7.5 V AC 0.8 A or 12 V DC 0.5 A
Cartridge list
Some APF-M1000 games
MG1008 Backgammon
MG1006 Baseball
MG1007 Blackjack
MG1004 Bowling/Micro Match
MG1012 Boxing
MG1005 Brickdown/Shooting Gallery
MG1009 Casino I: Roulette/Keno/Slots
MG1001 Catena
MG1003 Hangman/Tic Tac Toe/Doodle
MG1011 Pinball/Dungeon Hunt/Blockout
Built-In Rocket Patrol
MG1013 Space Destroyers
MG1010 UFO/Sea Monster/Break It
Down/Rebuild/Shoot
APF-M1000
32
Further reading
"APF MP-1000 Game Console Programming"
[1]
APF MP-1000 page at Old-Computers.com museum
[2]
References
[1] http:/ / www. orphanedgames. com/ APF/ index.html
[2] http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ MUSEUM/ computer. asp?c=584& st=1
Arcadia 2001
Emerson Arcadia 2001
Manufacturer Emerson Radio Corp.
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Signetics 2650 @ 3.58 MHz
The Emerson Arcadia 2001 is a second-generation 8-bit console released by Emerson Radio Corp in 1982
following the release of ColecoVision. It was discontinued only 18 months later, with a total of 35 games having
been released.
Arcadia 2001 is not a product of Arcadia Corporation, manufacturer of the 2600 Supercharger, and was sued by
Emerson for trademark infringement. Arcadia Corporation then changed its name to Starpath.
[1]
Emerson licensed
the Arcadia 2001 to Bandai which released it in Japan, and over 30 Arcadia clones exist. Wikipedia:Citation needed
Description
Hanimex HMG-2650
The Arcadia is much smaller than its contemporary competitors
and is powered by a standard 12-volt power supply so it can be
used in a boat or a vehicle. This portability feature, however,
requires a portable television, which was extremely rare in the
early 1980s. It also has two outputs (or inputs) headphone jacks on
the back of the unit, on the far left and far right sides.
The system came with two Intellivision-style controllers with a 12
button keypad and 'fire' buttons on the sides. The direction pads
have a removable joystick attachment. Most games came with
BoPET overlays that could be applied to the controller's keypads.
The console itself had five buttons: power, start, reset, option, and select.
Arcadia 2001
33
There are at least three different types of cartridge case styles and artwork, with variations on
each.Wikipedia:Citation needed Emerson-family carts come in two different lengths (short and long) of black plastic
cases.
Releases
Intervision 2001
Emerson actually created many popular arcade titles including
Pac-Man, Galaxian and Defender for the Arcadia, but never had
them manufactured as Atari started to sue its competitors
companies for releasing games to which it had exclusive-rights
agreementsWikipedia:Citation needed. Early marketing showed
popular arcade games, but they were later released as clones. For
instance, the Arcadia 2001 game Space Raiders is a clone of
Defender, and Breakaway is a clone of Breakout.
Name Manufacturer Country Compatibility family
Advision Home Arcade Advision Emerson console
Arcadia Bandai Emerson console
Arcadia 2001 Emerson Emerson console
Cosmos Tele-Computer Emerson console
Dynavision Morning-Sun Commerce MPT-03 console
Ekusera P.I.C. MPT-03 console
Hanimex MPT-03 Hanimex MPT-03 console
HMG-2650 Hanimex Emerson console
Home Arcade Centre Hanimex Emerson console
Intelligent Game MPT-03 Intelligent Game MPT-03 console
Intercord XL 2000 System Intercord Emerson console
Intervision 2001 Intervision Ormatu console
ITMC MPT-03 ITMC MPT-03 console
Leisure-Vision Leisure-Dynamics Emerson console
Leonardo GiG Electronics Emerson console
Ormatu 2001 Ormatu Electronics BV Ormatu console
Palladium Video Computer Game Neckermann Palladium console
Polybrain Video Computer Game Polybrain Palladium console
Poppy MPT-03 Tele Computer Spiel Poppy MPT-03 console
Prestige Video Computer Game MPT-03 Prestige MPT-03 console
Robdajet MPT-03 MPT-03 console
Rowtron 2000 Rowtron MPT-03 console
Schmid TVG-2000 Schmid Emerson console
Sheen Home Video Centre 2001 Sheen Ormatu console
Arcadia 2001
34
Soundic MPT-03 Soundic MPT-03 console
Tele Brain Mr. Altus Palladium console
Tele-Fever Tchibo Emerson console
Tempest MPT-03 Tempest MPT-03 console
Tobby MPT-03 Tobby Tobby MPT-03 console
Trakton Computer Video Game Trakton Palladium console
Tryom Video Game Center Tryom MPT-03 console
Tunix Home Arcade Monaco Leisure Emerson console
UVI Compu-Game Orbit Electronics Orbit console
Video Master Grandstand Orbit console
Bandai Arcadia
Bandai Arcadia
Manufacturer Bandai
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Signetics 2650 @ 3.58 MHz
Predecessor Bandai Super Vision 8000
Successor Bandai RX-78
In 1982 the Bandai Arcadia, a variant of the Emerson Arcadia 2001, was released in Japan by Bandai. There were
four Japan-exclusive game releases developed by Bandai which were the only known Arcadia titles written by other
companies than UA Ltd.
Doraemon
Dr. Slump
Mobile Soldier Gundam
Super Dimension Fortress Macross
Arcadia 2001
35
Main Processor: Signetics 2650 CPU running @ 3.58 MHz
Some variants run a Signetics 2650A
RAM: 512 bytes
ROM: None
Video Display: 128 208 / 128 104, 8 Colours
Video Display Controller: Signetics 2637 UVI
Sound: Single Channel "Beeper" + Single Channel "Noise"
Hardware Sprites: 4 independent, single color
Controllers: 2 2 way
Keypads: 2 12 button (more buttons on some variants)
Games
Many of the games for the Arcadia 2001 are ports of lesser-known arcade games such as Route 16 and Jungler.
There are 46 games for this system.
3-D Bowling - a Bowling game released for the Arcadia by Emerson Radio Corp. in 1982. Jungler
3-D Raceway - 3D Raceway Kidou Senshi Gundamu (only in
Japan)
3-D Soccer - a Soccer game released by Emerson Radio Corp. for the Arcadia in 1982. Math Logic
Alien Invaders - is a Shoot-'Em-Up game released by Emerson Radio Corp. for the Arcadia in
1982.
Missile War
Astro Invader Ocean Battle
American Football - is a Football game released by Emerson Radio Corp. for the Arcadia in 1982. Pleiades
Baseball RD2 Tank
Brain Quiz Red Clash
Breakaway Robot Killer (clone of Berzerk)
Capture Route 16
Cat Trax Soccer
Crazy Gobbler Space Attack
Crazy Climber (unreleased) Space Chess
Escape Space Mission
Funky Fish Space Raiders
Galaxian Space Squadron
Grand Prix 3-D Space Vultures
Grand Slam Tennis Spiders
Hobo Star Chess
Home Squadron Super Bug
Jump Bug Super Gobbler
Tanks A Lot
The End
Turtles/Turpin
Arcadia 2001
36
Emulation
Tchibo Tele-Fever. The BoPET overlay of R2D Tank is
applied to the controller
Emulator2001
[2]
Ami/WinArcadia emulators
[3]
The Emerson Arcadia 2001 Emulator
[4]
The first (DOS)
emulator.
MESS: Multiple Emulator Super System.
[5]
References
[1] The Dot Eaters - Epyx | The Dot Eaters (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/
?bitstory=epyx)
[2] http:/ / gstsoftware. co. nz/
[3] http:/ / amigan.1emu.net/
[4] http:/ / users.aol. com/ mk14emu/ arcadia.htm
[5] http:/ / www. mess. org
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arcadia 2001 and clones.
The Dot Eaters entry (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=arcadia-2001) on the Arcadia 2001.
www.old-computers.com (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=2& c=835) Emerson
Arcadia 2001 museum entry.
www.old-computers.com (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ magazine/ view. asp?r=2& a=8) Article about
Arcadia 2001 and "clones".
MESS wiki (http:/ / mess. redump. net/ mess:drivers:arcadia:arcadia) Arcadia 2001 documentation and games
snapshots
Emerson Arcadia 2001 Central (http:/ / amigan. yatho. com) World's largest site for this platform
Atari 2500
37
Atari 2500
The Atari 2500 was a prototype version of the Atari 2600 produced in 1981. It was intended as a replacement for the
existing 2600, but never saw release.
[1]
The technical specifications are no different from the Atari 2600, except for
combination joystick/paddle controllers installed in the system itself (though normal controllers were usable). It was
light grey, and appeared sleeker than current model 2600s. Though the system was never produced, the 2600s would
get a sleeker update (without built in controllers) in 1986 with the Atari 2600 Jr..
CPU: MOS Technology 6507 @ 1.19MHz
Audio + Video processor: TIA. 160 x ~192 pixel, 128 colors (121 of them actually different from each other on
NTSC, 114 on PAL), 2 channel mono sound.
RAM: 128 bytes (plus up to 256 bytes built into the game cartridges)
ROM (game cartridges):4 KB maximum capacity (32 KB+ with paging)
Input: Six switches (original version): Power on/off, TV signal (B/W or Color), Difficulty for each player (called
A and B), Select, and Reset. Except for the power switch, games could (and did) assign other meanings to the
switches.
Output: B/W or Color TV picture and sound signal (NTSC, PAL or SECAM, depending on region; game
cartridges are exchangeable between NTSC and PAL/SECAM machines, but this will result to wrong or missing
colors and often a rolling picture.)
References
[1] The Atari Historical Society's page about the 2500 (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2500/ 2500. html)
External links
Atari's official website (http:/ / www. atari. com/ )
Atari 2600
38
Atari 2600
Atari 2600
Atari 2600 four-switch "wood veneer" version, dating from 198082
Manufacturer Atari, Inc.
Retail availability
NA
September 11, 1977
EU
1978
JP
October 1983 (Atari 2800)
Introductory price 199 USD
Discontinued January 1, 1992
Units sold 30 million (as of 2004)
Media ROM cartridge, Tape
CPU MOS 6507 @ 1.19 MHz
Memory 128 bytes RAM, 4 kB ROM
Controller input Joystick
Paddles
Driving Controller
Trak-Ball
Keypad
Online services GameLine
Best-selling game Pac-Man, 7 million (as of September 1, 2006)
Predecessor Atari Pong
Successor Atari 5200
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in September 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing
the use of microprocessor-based hardware and ROM cartridges containing game code, a format first used with the
Fairchild Channel F game console. This format contrasts with the older model of having non-microprocessor
dedicated hardware, which could only play the few games which are physically built in to the unit.
Atari 2600
39
The console was originally sold as the Atari VCS, for Video Computer System. Following the 1982 release of the
Atari 5200, the VCS was renamed "Atari 2600", after the unit's Atari part number, CX2600. The 2600 was typically
bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a cartridge gameinitially Combat
and later Pac-Man.
[1]
History
Atari Inc. had purchased an engineering think tank in 1973 called Cyan Engineering to research next-generation
video game systems, and had been working on a prototype known as "Stella" (named after one of the engineers'
bicycles) for some time. Unlike prior generations of machines that used custom logic to play a small number of
games, its core was a complete CPU, the famous MOS Technology 6502 in a cost-reduced version, known as the
6507. It was combined with a RAM-and-I/O chip, the MOS Technology 6532, and a display and sound chip known
as the Television Interface Adapter, (TIA). The first two versions of the machine contain a fourth chip, a standard
CMOS logic buffer IC, making Stella cost-effective. Some later versions of the console eliminated the buffer chip.
Wikipedia:Citation needed
Programs for small computers were generally stored on cassette tape, disk or paper tape. By the early 1970s, Hewlett
Packard manufactured desktop computers costing thousands of dollars such as the HP 9830, which packaged Read
Only Memory (ROM) into removable cartridges to add special programming features, and these were being
considered for use in games. At first, the design was not going to be cartridge-based, but after seeing a "fake"
cartridge system on another machine, they realized they could place the games on cartridges essentially for the price
of the connector and packaging.
In August 1976, Fairchild Semiconductor released their own CPU-based system, the Video Entertainment System.
Stella was still not ready for production, but it was clear that it needed to be before there were a number of "me too"
products filling up the marketwhich had happened after they released Pong. Atari Inc. simply did not have the
cash flow to complete the system quickly, given that sales of their own Pong systems were cooling. Nolan Bushnell
eventually turned to Warner Communications, and sold the company to them in 1976 for US$28 million on the
promise that Stella would be produced as soon as possible.
Key to the eventual success of the machine was the hiring of Jay Miner, a chip designer who managed to squeeze an
entire wire wrap of equipment making up the TIA into a single chip. Once that was completed and debugged, the
system was ready for shipping.
Launch and success
Produced in 1978, the second 6 switch model was
one of many revisions to the 2600
The unit was originally priced at US$199, and shipped with two
joysticks and a Combat cartridge (eight additional games were
available at launch and sold separately). In a move to compete directly
with the Channel F, Atari Inc. named the machine the Video Computer
System (or VCS for short), as the Channel F was at that point known as
the VES, for Video Entertainment System. The VCS was also rebadged
as the Sears Video Arcade and sold through Sears, Roebuck and
Company stores.
When Fairchild learned of Atari Inc.'s naming, they quickly changed
the name of their system to become the Channel F. However, both systems were now in the midst of a vicious round
of price-cutting: Pong clones that had been made obsolete by these newer and more
Atari 2600
40
The 2600 Jr.'s connection ports.
powerful machines were sold off to discounters for ever-lower prices.
Soon many of the clone companies were out of business, and both
Fairchild and Atari Inc. were selling to a public that was completely
burnt out on Pong. In 1977, Atari Inc. sold 250,000 VCSs.
For the first year of production, the VCS was manufactured in
Sunnyvale, California. The consoles manufactured there had thick
internal RF shielding, and thick plastic molding around the sides and
bottom. These added weight to the console, and because all six
switches were on the front, these consoles were nicknamed "Heavy
Sixers". After this first year, production moved to Hong Kong, and the consoles manufactured there had thinner
plastic molding. In 1978, only 550,000 units from a production run of 800,000 were sold, requiring further financial
support from Warner to cover losses. This led directly to the disagreements that caused Atari Inc. founder Nolan
Bushnell to leave the company in 1978.
[2]
Once the public realized it was possible to play video games other than Pong, and programmers learned how to push
its hardware's capabilities, the VCS gained popularity. By this point, Fairchild had given up, thinking video games
were a passing fad, thereby handing the entire quickly growing market to Atari Inc. By 1979, the VCS was the
best-selling Christmas gift (and console), mainly because of its exclusive content, and 1 million units were sold that
year.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari Inc. then licensed the smash arcade hit Space Invaders by Taito, which greatly increased the unit's popularity
when it was released in January 1980, doubling sales to over 2 million units. The VCS and its cartridges were the
main factor behind Atari Inc. grossing more than $2 billion in 1980. Sales then doubled again for the next two years;
by 1982, the console had sold 10 million units, while its best-selling game Pac-Man sold 7 million copies. The
console also sold 450,000 units in West Germany by 1984. By 1982 the 2600 console cost Atari about $40 to make
and was sold for an average of $125. The company spent $4.50 to $6 to manufacture each cartridge and $1 to $2 for
advertising, and sold it for $18.95 wholesale.
The all black "Darth Vader" 4-switch model from
1982-
In 1980, the VCS was given a minor revision in which the left and
right difficulty switches were moved to the back of the console,
leaving four switches on the front. Other than this, these four-switch
consoles looked nearly identical to the earlier six-switch models. In
1982, another version of the four-switch console was released without
woodgrain. They were nicknamed "Darth Vader" consoles due to their
all-black appearance. These were also the first consoles to be officially
called "Atari 2600", as the Atari 5200 was released the same year.
During this period, Atari Inc. expanded the 2600 family with two other
compatible consoles. They designed the Atari 2700, a wireless version
of the console that was never released because of a design flaw. The
company also built a sleeker version of the machine dubbed the Atari 2800 to sell directly to the Japanese market in
early 1983, but it suffered from competition with the newly released Nintendo Famicom.
In a survey mentioned by Jeff Rovin it is reported that more stores reported breakdowns of the Atari 2600 system
than any other, and that Atari repair centers seemed to have the most trouble with consoles manufactured in 1980. In
one case it is stated that a system was repaired five times before static electricity from a carpet was discovered as
having caused the problem. The controllers were also a source of breakage because of the way they could be gripped
by a player holding it with their fist, allowing players to get carried away and over control, which was less likely
with other systems released at the time, such as the Odyssey 2, which has controllers that are nearly half its size.
[3]
Atari 2600
41
Sears Tele-Games 2600s
Early Atari 2600 that was branded "Tele-Games" and
sold by Sears
Atari Inc. also continued their OEM relationship with Sears under
the latter's Tele-Games brand label, which started in 1975 with the
original Pong. Sears released several versions of the 2600 as the
Sears Video Arcade series from 1977 to 1983. These include the
Rev. A "Heavy Sixer" model in 1977, the Rev. B "4 switch" model
in 1980, and the US version of the Atari 2800 branded as the Sears
Video Arcade II in 1983.
Sears also released their own versions of Atari Inc.'s games under
the Tele-Games brand often with different titles which
included the Tele-Games branded variations of text and picture
labels. Three games were also produced by Atari Inc. for Sears as
exclusive releases under the Tele-Games brand: Steeplechase,
Stellar Track, and Submarine Commander.
Sears' Tele-Games brand was unrelated to the company Telegames, which also produced cartridges for the Atari
2600 mostly re-issues of M-Network games.
Decline and remodel
During this period, Atari Inc. continued to grow until it had one of the largest R&D divisions in Silicon Valley.
However, it spent much of its R&D budget on projects that seemed out of place at a video game (or even home
computer) company; many of these projects never saw the light of day. Meanwhile, several attempts to bring out
newer consoles failed for one reason or another, although Atari Inc.'s home computer systems, the Atari 8-bit family,
sold reasonably well, if not spectacularly. Warner was more than happy anyway, as it seemed to have no end to the
sales of the 2600, and Atari Inc. was responsible for over half of the company's income.
The programmers of many of Atari Inc.'s biggest hits grew disgruntled with the company for not crediting game
developers and many left the company and formed their own independent software companies. The most prominent
and longest-lasting of these third-party developers was Activision, founded in 1980, whose titles quickly became
more popular than those of Atari Inc. itself. Atari Inc. attempted to block third-party development for the 2600 in
court but failed, and soon other publishers, such as Imagic and Coleco, entered the market. Atari Inc. suffered from
an image problem when a company named Mystique produced a number of pornographic games for the 2600. The
most notorious of these, Custer's Revenge, caused a large numberWikipedia:Citation needed of protests from
women's and Native American groups because it depicts General George Armstrong Custer raping a bound Native
American woman. Atari Inc. sued Mystique in court over the release of the game.
Atari Inc. continued to scoop up licenses during the shelf life of the 2600, the most prominent of which included
Pac-Man and E.T. Public disappointment with these two titles and the market saturation of poor third-party titles are
cited as major contributors to the video game crash of 1983. Suddenly, Atari Inc.'s growth meant it was losing
massive amounts of money during the crash, at one point about $10,000 a day. Warner quickly grew tired of
supporting Atari Inc., and started looking for buyers in 1984. Although not formally discontinued, the 2600 was
de-emphasized for two years after Warner's 1984 sale of Atari Inc.'s Consumer Division to Commodore Business
Machines founder Jack Tramiel, who wanted to concentrate on home computers. He froze all development of
console games, including a 2600 Garfield game and an Atari 5200 port of Super Pac-Man.
Due to a large library and a low price point, the 2600 and its smaller cousin, the 2600jr, continued to sell well in the
late 1980s and was not discontinued until 1992, outdoing all other hardware that Atari released trying to replicate its
success.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari 2600
42
Atari 2800
Atari 2800 on display
The Atari 2800 is the Japanese version of the Atari 2600,
released in October 1983. It was the first release of a 2600
designed specifically for the Japanese market, despite
companies like Epoch distributing the 2600 in Japan
previously.
The 2800 never captured a large market in Japan. It was
released a short time after the Nintendo Famicom, which
became the dominant console in the Japanese video game
market of the time.
Codenamed "Cindy", and designed by Atari engineer Joe
Tilly, the Atari 2800 had four controller ports instead of the
standard two on the Atari 2600's. The controllers are an all-in
one design using a combination of an 8-direction digital
joystick and a 270-degree paddle, designed by John Amber.
[4]
The 2800's case design departed from the standard 2600 format, using a wedge shape with non-protruding switches.
Around 30 specially branded games were released for the 2800. Their boxes are in Japanese and have a silver/red
color scheme similar to the packaging of Atari's 2600 branded games of the time. The ROM cartridges themselves
had identical labels as their 2600 branded counterparts.
Sears liked the design of the Atari 2800 so much, they opted to sell a version under their Tele-Games label. It was
released in the US in 1983 as the Sears Video Arcade II, and was packaged with 2 controllers and Space Invaders.
The Atari 2800's case style was used as the basis for the Atari 7800's case style by Barney Huang.
Atari 2600 Jr.
The Atari 2600 in its 1984 cost-reduced version, also known
as the "2600 Jr."
In 1984, a new version of the 2600 was released. The new
redesigned version of the 2600, unofficially referred to as the
2600 Jr., featured a smaller cost-reduced form factor with a
modernized Atari 7800-like appearance. The redesigned
2600 was advertised as a budget gaming system (under
US$50) that had the ability to run a large collection of classic
games.
The Atari 2600 continued to sell in the USA and Europe until
1991, and in Asia until the early 1990s. Its final
Atari-licensed release was KLAX in 1990. In 2007 the Atari
2600 was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame, selling 40 million units in its lifetime, and the youngest toy to be
inducted.
[5]
In Brazil, the console became extremely popular in the mid-1980s. The Atari 2600 was officially retired
by Atari Corp. on January 1, 1992,Wikipedia:Citation needed making it, at the time, the longest-lived home video
game console (14 years, 4 months) in video game history. It was later surpassed by the Sega Master System, a
console which never formally ended production in Brazil.
The system was promoted on a United Kingdom TV ad in 1989 in the run-up to Christmas, in which it claimed "The
fun is back!". The advertising campaign used its price of under 50 as a selling point. The advert was a re-dubbed
version of the early original campaign in the United States. Also, the 2600 Jr. was originally to be packaged with a
Pro-Line joystick (the same one used on the Atari 7800), but when released, it instead included the original CX-40
Joystick. Later European versions of the 2600 Jr. included a joypad, which was also featured with the European
Atari 2600
43
7800.
Design
Hardware
Main article: Atari 2600 hardware
Standard joystick
The CPU was the MOS Technology 6507, a cut-down version of the
6502, running at 1.19 MHz in the 2600. The 6507 included fewer
memory address pins13 instead of 16and no external interrupts to
fit into a smaller 28-pin package. Smaller packaging was, and still is,
an important factor in overall system cost, and since memory was very
expensive at the time, the 6507's small 8kB of maximum external
memory space was not going to be used up anyway. In fact, memory
was so expensive they could not imagine using up even 4kB, and
when they got a deal on 24-pin connectors for the cartridge socket,
they were only too happy to thereby limit the games to 4K.
[6]
Later
games get around this limitation with bank switching.
The console has only 128 bytes of RAM for run-time data that includes
the call stack and the state of the game world. There is no frame buffer,
as the necessary RAM would have been too expensive. Instead the video device has two bitmapped sprites, two
one-pixel "missile" sprites, a one-pixel "ball," and a 40-pixel "playfield" that is drawn by writing a bit pattern for
each line into a register just before the television scans that line. As each line is scanned, a game must identify the
non-sprite objects that overlaps the next line, assemble the appropriate bit patterns to draw for those objects, and
write the pattern into the register. In a telling reveal of its Pong heritage, by default, the right side of the screen is a
mirrored duplicate of the left; to control it separately, the software may modify the patterns as the scan line is drawn.
After the controller scans the last active line, a more leisurely vertical blanking interval begins, during which the
game can process input and update the positions and states of objects in the game world. Any mistake in timing
produces visual artifacts, a problem programmers call racing the beam.
The video hardware gives the 2600 a reputation as one of the most complex game consoles in the world to program,
but those programmers who understand it realize that such direct control over the video picture is also a source of
flexibility. One advantage the 2600 has over more powerful contemporary competitors such as the ColecoVision is
that the 2600 has no protection against altering settings in mid-line. For example, although each sprite nominally has
only one color, it is possible to color the rows differently by changing the sprite's color as it is drawn. If the two
hardware sprites are not enough for a game, a developer may share one sprite among several objects (as with the
ghosts in Pac-Man) or draw software sprites, which is only a little more difficult than drawing a fixed playfield. The
Pitfall! screenshot below demonstrates some of these tricks: the player is a multi-color sprite, one sprite is
multiplexed for the logs and the scorpion, and the swinging vine is drawn by shifting the position of the "ball" on
each scan line. Despite the hardware limitations, many Atari 2600 games have a lot of action on the screen, creating
an engaging experience.
Additionally, the 2600 supports several types of input devices (joysticks, paddles, keyboards, etc.) and third-party
peripherals. Many of these peripherals are interchangeable with the MSX and several other Japanese systems; and in
some cases, it is possible to use the Atari joysticks with the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Amiga, Sega Master
System, and Mega Drive/Genesis, though functionality may be limited. Also, Master System and Mega
Drive/Genesis controllers work on the Atari 2600, though only the B button can be used in most games. Another
adapter is the Starpath Supercharger, an add-on created by Starpath to expand the game capabilities of the Atari
2600. The Supercharger interface adds an extra 6 KB to the Atari 2600's 128 bytes of RAM, allowing for larger
Atari 2600
44
games with higher resolution graphics. A cord coming out of the side of the cartridge plugs into the earphone jack of
any standard cassette player. Games for the Supercharger are stored on standard audio cassettes.
Color and graphics
Main article: Television Interface Adapter
The Atari 2600 uses different color palettes depending on the television signal format used.
[7]
With the NTSC
format, a 128-color palette is available, while in PAL, only 104 colors are available. Additionally, the SECAM
palette consists of only 8 colors.
Games
Pitfall!, one of the most popular third party games
for the Atari 2600.
Main articles: List of Atari 2600 games and List of Atari 2600
prototype games
During the console's lifetime, Atari Inc and Atari Corp. published
many titles. These games include Adventure (often credited as starting
the action-adventure game genreits creator, Warren Robinett, also
introduced the first widely known Easter egg to the gaming world),
Breakout,
[8]
and Yars' Revenge. The console's popularity attracted
many third-party developers, which led to popular titles such as
Activision's Pitfall! and Imagic's Atlantis. However, two Atari
published titles, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Pac-Man, are frequently
blamed for contributing to the video game crash of 1983.
Legacy
The Atari 2600 was wildly successful, and during much of the 1980s, "Atari" was a synonym for this model in
mainstream media and, by extension, for video games in general.
The Atari 2600 was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York in 2007. In
2009, the Atari 2600 was named the second greatest video game console of all time by IGN, who cited its
remarkable role as the console behind both the first video game boom and the video game crash of 1983, and called
it "the console that our entire industry is built upon."
Atari 2000
The Atari 2000 (model number CX-2000) is a prototype version of the Atari 2600 intended to be released as a
cheaper alternative for children in 1982. Although identical in specification to the original 2600, the 2000 includes
built-in controllers and a different case design. The 2000 was originally intended to be black, but it was later
recolored blue to appeal more to children. While Atari never officially stated the reason for not releasing the 2000,
experts have cited the poor quality and durability of its built-in joysticks and the greater in-house popularity of the
competing 2600 Jr. design as the most likely reasons.
Atari 3200
Atari started work on a replacement to the 2600, called the Atari 3200, with codenames including Super Stella,
Sylvia, and PAM (a note attached reads "Super Stella: Multipurpose"). The system was to have compatibility with
Atari 2600 cartridges, and was rumored based on a 10-bit processor, although design documents shows it was to be
based around the 6502 8-bit CPU. It was still unfinished when preliminary game programmers discovered that it was
difficult to program. The project was cancelled, and Atari went with the second "System X" also titled PAM, that
Atari 2600
45
would later become the Atari 5200. Atari also cloned the Atari 3200 into the Sears Super Arcade II, but this was
never released.
Clones and reissues
The console and its old and new games are very popular with collectors because of its significant impact on video
game and consumer electronics history and also due to its nostalgic value for many people, along with a number of
games that are still considered highly playable. In addition, modern Atari 2600 clones remain on the market. One
example is the Atari Classics 10-in-1 TV Game, manufactured by Jakks Pacific, which emulates the 2600 console,
and includes converted versions of 10 games into a single Atari-brand-lookalike joystick with composite video
outputs for connecting directly to modern televisions or VCRs. Another is the TV Boy, which includes 127 games in
an enlarged joypad.
The Atari Flashback 2 console, released in 2005, contains 40 games (with four more programs unlockable by a cheat
code). The console implements the original 2600 architecture and can be modified to play original 2600 cartridges
by adding a cartridge port, and is compatible with original 2600 controllers.
In music
Many games for the Atari 2600 have detailed and easily identifiable music, and its distinctive sound makes it ideal
for use in modern lo-fi and industrial music. In 2002, Dallas musician and visual artist Paul Slocum developed a
cartridge called Synthcart for the Atari 2600, which allows the user to turn an Atari 2600 into a two-voice
synthesizer and drum machine. Adapters have also been developed by amateurs enabling the Atari 2600's use with
MIDI devices. A number of bands, such as 8 Bit Weapon, Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Squigs, as well as
Slocum's own band Tree Wave, use Synthcart to make modern music on the Atari 2600.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Some effects units like the MXR Blue Box are often cited for their ability to produce an Atari-like sound. Phonte
from the hip-hop group Little Brother, along with fellow lyricist Eccentric, formed a mock-group named Unheralded
Symmetrics, and recorded a tribute to the system, entitled "Atari 2600".
Emulation
Atari 2600 emulation is available for most major operating systems and is now very accurate. Despite the relative
simplicity of the 2600 system, it is not an easy system to emulate. While it does not require a lot of computational
power to emulate the 2600, it is hard to accurately do so. For example, because of the lack of a frame buffer, 2600
emulators must not only emulate the console, but the television as well. Due to the longevity of the system, many
2600 games use undocumented features, and even exploit bugs in the hardware to squeeze the most functionality and
performance out of the system, doing things even the original designers would deem impossible. A notable example
is the starfield of the game Cosmic Ark. It took some time for the emulator programmers to mature their software to
properly emulate the undocumented features, bugs and quirks of the system.
The MESS emulator supports recording and playing back of Atari 2600 emulation sessions. The Home Action
Replay Page
[9]
(aka HARP) allows Atari 2600 users to archive their favorite play sessions of the Atari 2600 system
and its games. The javatari emulator has a multiplayer mode that allows two users to play as Player1 and Player2
respectively, as if they were playing on the same console.
Well known Atari 2600 emulators today include the following:
Stella - An open source, multiplatform emulator (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, Wii,
GP2X).
z26 Another open source, multiplatform customizable emulator (Windows, MS-DOS, Linux)
javatari Open-source, multiplatform Java based emulator with network multiplayer features and a real console
panel user interface.
Atari 2600
46
PC Atari Emulator Easy to use, very fast emulator (Windows, MS-DOS). Handles the Cosmic Ark starfield
effect correctly.
MESS the multi system emulator that supports all old Atari console systems
The Pocket VCS PPC Easy to use, very fast and emulator (Windows Mobile).Wikipedia:Citation needed
GP2X-2600 An emulator for the GP2X handheld console
Homebrews
Main article: Atari 2600 homebrew
Thomas Jentzsch's Thrust, a homebrew game for
the Atari 2600
After 30 years since the launch of the Atari 2600, new homebrew
games for the system are still made and sold by hobbyists with several
new titles available each year. Most of the development on the
platform is still done in 6502 assembly language but a BASIC-like
language compiler named batari Basic (or "bB") and visual
environment called Visual batari Basic are also available.
Games created for the Atari can be executed using either an emulator
or copied directly to a blank cartridge making use of either a PROM or
EPROM chip. This allows the construction of homebrew cartridges
that will run on an original Atari 2600.
Programmers
This is a partial list of Atari 2600 programmers:
David Crane
Tod Frye
Rob Fulop
Larry Kaplan was one of the top programmers on the Atari 2600.
[10]
Carla Meninsky
Alan Miller
Warren Robinett
Carol Shaw
Howard Scott Warshaw
Bob Whitehead
Tom Reuterdahl
Ed Fries
Jon Leupp
Atari 2600
47
Notes
[1] Image of box with Pac-Man sticker (http:/ / www. mr-atari. com/ afbeeldingen/ systems/ 2600pacmanblue. jpg)
[2] Steve Fulton, "Atari: The Golden Years -- A History, 1978-1981" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ view/ feature/ 3766/
atari_the_golden_years__a_. php?page=6), Gamasutra, 21 August 2008, pg. 6
[3] "The Complete Guide to Conquering Video Games" by Jeff Rovin, Collier Books, 1982 pages 7, 9, 11
[4] The Atari 2800 System (http:/ / www.atarimuseum.com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2800/ A2800. html)
[5] Salon-Friday,Nov.9,2007-Toy Hall Of Fame (http:/ / www. salon. com/ 2007/ 11/ 09/ toy_hall_of_fame/ )
[6] The cartridge connector's 24 pins are allocated to one supply voltage line, two ground lines, 8 data lines, and 13 address lines. However, the
uppermost address line is used as a so-called chip select for the cartridge's ROM chip, leaving only 12 address lines for the chip's game
program. Thus, without special "hardware tricks" built into the cartridge, an Atari 2600 game can occupy a maximum address space of 4K.
[7] Atari 2600 "TIA color chart" (http:/ / www.biglist.com/ lists/ stella/ archives/ 200109/ msg00285. html).
[8] MobyGames. "Breakout for Atari 2600," (retrieved on March 2nd, 2009). (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ atari-2600/ breakout_)
[9] Home Action Replay Page (http:/ / www.homeactionreplay. org/ search. php?tourney=7)
[10] [10] 090420 rabayjr.com
References
Perry, Tekla; Wallich, Paul. "Design case history: the Atari Video Computer System". IEEE Spectrum. March
1983.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atari 2600.
Atari 2600 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Atari/ VCS_Family/
Atari_2600) at DMOZ
Gamasutra's A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS (http:/ / www. gamasutra.
com/ view/ feature/ 3551/ a_history_of_gaming_platforms_. php)
Review of Atari 2600 games (http:/ / www. videogamecritic. net/ 2600aa. htm)
batari Basic page (http:/ / bataribasic. com/ )
Inside the Atari 2600 (http:/ / www. hardwaresecrets. com/ article/ Inside-the-Atari-2600/ 1552)
A history of the Atari VCS/2600 (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=the-great-video-game-crash)
Atari 2700
48
Atari 2700
The Atari 2700 (also known the Atari Remote Control VCS) is a prototype video game console that was developed
by Atari, Inc. to be a wirelessly controlled version of Atari's popular Atari 2600 system. Intended for release in 1981,
the 2700 was one of several planned follow-ups to the 2600, but the system was never put into full production. While
It is unclear how many of these systems exist, former Atari employee Dan Kramer has stated that at least 12 consoles
were made, plus extra controllers.
The 2700 was fully compatible with the Atari 2600 system and intended to use that systems games and accessories.
The 2700's new features over the 2600 included wireless controllers featuring a combination of a joystick and
paddle, touch sensitive switches, and a streamlined wedgeshaped case.
Internally, the product was also called the "RC Stella", where "RC" referred to Radio Control and "Stella" was the
internal Atari codename for the 2600.
Features
Controllers
The 2700 wireless controllers operate via radio signals. They feature an on/off switch and are powered by a
replaceable 9-volt battery. Communication with the console is achieved via a flexible antenna. Each controller is
designated as either a left (player 1) or right (player 2) and cannot be swapped.
[1]
Each 2700 controller features a single fire button and a short stick which combines the features of a standard 8
position joystick and a 270 degree paddle controller.
[2]
Game Select and Reset buttons appear on both the controllers
and the console, the latter presumably for instances where standard wired controllers would be used instead of the
wireless units.
Console
The console features two standard Atari 9-pin controller posts on its right side, allowing for use of other 2600
compatible controllers such as Atari-made and third-party joysticks, as well as Atari's own Driving Controller,
Paddles, Kid's Controller, Keypad Controller, and Trak-Ball. The top surface features a 2600 style cartridge slot and
touch-sensitive buttons with associated red LEDs, including buttons for functions directly related to the wireless
controllers, such as selecting between the wireless controllers and any plugged in, and for switching the function of
the wireless controllers between joystick and paddle mode.
The case represented a significant departure from previous Atari consumer product designs, dispensing with
aesthetics of earlier Atari consoles. Faux wood grain inlays and mechanical throw switches were replaced by a sleek,
dark brown wedge with indented. touch sensitive switches. The casing featured a hinge-topped storage bay for the
wireless controllers and a built-in belly groove for winding excess cable to connect to a TV.
Cancellation
Although they were the primary innovation of the 2700 it was the wireless controllers that actually caused the
console to be cancelled prior to release. Specifically, the wireless controllers had a working radius of approximately
1000ft, but there was no mechanism for pairing a given set of controllers with a specific console, which meant
controllers for any one 2700 could unintentionally affect other nearby 2700s. Furthermore, the controllers were
based on the design of garage door openers, which led to concerns that they could accidentally trigger other remote
controlled devices.
Atari 2700
49
Legacy
Although abandoned, the 2700 case design became the model for a number of later Atari game systems, notably the
very similar looking Atari 2800
[3]
for Japan and the similar Atari-made Sears-branded Video Arcade II, both of
which featured (wired) controllers which combined the functions of joystick and paddle. The case design also
influenced a whole range of subsequent Atari home consoles, including the Atari 5200 (which featured a 2700-like
controller bay), as well as the Atari 2600 Jr., and Atari 7800.
The idea of wireless controllers for the 2600 and joystick compatible systems was in 1983 fulfilled by the Atari 2600
Wireless Remote Controlled Joystick, a plug-in accessory (Model No., CX 42).
[4]
However, to house additional
electronics to correct the interference problem, the controllers were bulky. Additionally, they were difficult to
control and suffered from poor battery life. The 2012-released Atari Flashback 4 also featured wireless controllers
based on infrared technology.
CPU: MOS Technology 6507 @ 1.19MHz
Audio+video processor: TIA. 160 x ~192 pixel, 128 colors (121 of them actually different from each other on
NTSC, 114 on PAL), 2 channel mono sound.
RAM: 128 bytes (plus up to 256 bytes built into the game cartridges)
ROM (game cartridges):4 KB maximum capacity (32 KB+ with paging)
Output: B/W or color TV picture and sound signal
References
[1] 2700 at the Atari History Museum website (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2700/ a2700. html)
[2] Patent image of 2700 controller (https:/ / www. google. com/ patents/ USD268689)
[3] Atari 2800 on Atari Museum (http:/ / www.atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2800/ A2800. html)
[4] "The Atari 2600 Remote Controlled Joystick" (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2600/ 2600rc. html)
External links
Video of a surviving Atari 2700 console (https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=0HPr5h-BUg0)
Atari 2800
50
Atari 2800
Atari 2600
Atari 2600 four-switch "wood veneer" version, dating from 198082
Manufacturer Atari, Inc.
Retail availability
NA
September 11, 1977
EU
1978
JP
October 1983 (Atari 2800)
Introductory price 199 USD
Units sold 30 million (as of 2004)
Media ROM cartridge, Tape
CPU MOS 6507 @ 1.19 MHz
Memory 128 bytes RAM, 4 kB ROM
Paddles
Driving Controller
Trak-Ball
Keypad
Online services GameLine
Best-selling game Pac-Man, 7 million (as of September 1, 2006)
Predecessor Atari Pong
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in September 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing
the use of microprocessor-based hardware and ROM cartridges containing game code, a format first used with the
Fairchild Channel F game console. This format contrasts with the older model of having non-microprocessor
dedicated hardware, which could only play the few games which are physically built in to the unit.
Atari 2800
51
The console was originally sold as the Atari VCS, for Video Computer System. Following the 1982 release of the
Atari 5200, the VCS was renamed "Atari 2600", after the unit's Atari part number, CX2600. The 2600 was typically
bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a cartridge gameinitially Combat
and later Pac-Man.
[1]
History
Atari Inc. had purchased an engineering think tank in 1973 called Cyan Engineering to research next-generation
video game systems, and had been working on a prototype known as "Stella" (named after one of the engineers'
bicycles) for some time. Unlike prior generations of machines that used custom logic to play a small number of
games, its core was a complete CPU, the famous MOS Technology 6502 in a cost-reduced version, known as the
6507. It was combined with a RAM-and-I/O chip, the MOS Technology 6532, and a display and sound chip known
as the Television Interface Adapter, (TIA). The first two versions of the machine contain a fourth chip, a standard
CMOS logic buffer IC, making Stella cost-effective. Some later versions of the console eliminated the buffer chip.
Programs for small computers were generally stored on cassette tape, disk or paper tape. By the early 1970s, Hewlett
Packard manufactured desktop computers costing thousands of dollars such as the HP 9830, which packaged Read
Only Memory (ROM) into removable cartridges to add special programming features, and these were being
considered for use in games. At first, the design was not going to be cartridge-based, but after seeing a "fake"
cartridge system on another machine, they realized they could place the games on cartridges essentially for the price
of the connector and packaging.
In August 1976, Fairchild Semiconductor released their own CPU-based system, the Video Entertainment System.
Stella was still not ready for production, but it was clear that it needed to be before there were a number of "me too"
products filling up the marketwhich had happened after they released Pong. Atari Inc. simply did not have the
cash flow to complete the system quickly, given that sales of their own Pong systems were cooling. Nolan Bushnell
eventually turned to Warner Communications, and sold the company to them in 1976 for US$28 million on the
promise that Stella would be produced as soon as possible.
Key to the eventual success of the machine was the hiring of Jay Miner, a chip designer who managed to squeeze an
entire wire wrap of equipment making up the TIA into a single chip. Once that was completed and debugged, the
system was ready for shipping.
Launch and success
Produced in 1978, the second 6 switch model was
one of many revisions to the 2600
The unit was originally priced at US$199, and shipped with two
joysticks and a Combat cartridge (eight additional games were
available at launch and sold separately). In a move to compete directly
with the Channel F, Atari Inc. named the machine the Video Computer
System (or VCS for short), as the Channel F was at that point known as
the VES, for Video Entertainment System. The VCS was also rebadged
as the Sears Video Arcade and sold through Sears, Roebuck and
Company stores.
When Fairchild learned of Atari Inc.'s naming, they quickly changed
the name of their system to become the Channel F. However, both systems were now in the midst of a vicious round
of price-cutting: Pong clones that had been made obsolete by these newer and more
Atari 2800
52
The 2600 Jr.'s connection ports.
powerful machines were sold off to discounters for ever-lower prices.
Soon many of the clone companies were out of business, and both
Fairchild and Atari Inc. were selling to a public that was completely
burnt out on Pong. In 1977, Atari Inc. sold 250,000 VCSs.
For the first year of production, the VCS was manufactured in
Sunnyvale, California. The consoles manufactured there had thick
internal RF shielding, and thick plastic molding around the sides and
bottom. These added weight to the console, and because all six
switches were on the front, these consoles were nicknamed "Heavy
Sixers". After this first year, production moved to Hong Kong, and the consoles manufactured there had thinner
plastic molding. In 1978, only 550,000 units from a production run of 800,000 were sold, requiring further financial
support from Warner to cover losses. This led directly to the disagreements that caused Atari Inc. founder Nolan
Bushnell to leave the company in 1978.
[2]
Once the public realized it was possible to play video games other than Pong, and programmers learned how to push
its hardware's capabilities, the VCS gained popularity. By this point, Fairchild had given up, thinking video games
were a passing fad, thereby handing the entire quickly growing market to Atari Inc. By 1979, the VCS was the
best-selling Christmas gift (and console), mainly because of its exclusive content, and 1 million units were sold that
year.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari Inc. then licensed the smash arcade hit Space Invaders by Taito, which greatly increased the unit's popularity
when it was released in January 1980, doubling sales to over 2 million units. The VCS and its cartridges were the
main factor behind Atari Inc. grossing more than $2 billion in 1980. Sales then doubled again for the next two years;
by 1982, the console had sold 10 million units, while its best-selling game Pac-Man sold 7 million copies. The
console also sold 450,000 units in West Germany by 1984. By 1982 the 2600 console cost Atari about $40 to make
and was sold for an average of $125. The company spent $4.50 to $6 to manufacture each cartridge and $1 to $2 for
advertising, and sold it for $18.95 wholesale.
The all black "Darth Vader" 4-switch model from
1982-
In 1980, the VCS was given a minor revision in which the left and
right difficulty switches were moved to the back of the console,
leaving four switches on the front. Other than this, these four-switch
consoles looked nearly identical to the earlier six-switch models. In
1982, another version of the four-switch console was released without
woodgrain. They were nicknamed "Darth Vader" consoles due to their
all-black appearance. These were also the first consoles to be officially
called "Atari 2600", as the Atari 5200 was released the same year.
During this period, Atari Inc. expanded the 2600 family with two other
compatible consoles. They designed the Atari 2700, a wireless version
of the console that was never released because of a design flaw. The
company also built a sleeker version of the machine dubbed the Atari 2800 to sell directly to the Japanese market in
early 1983, but it suffered from competition with the newly released Nintendo Famicom.
In a survey mentioned by Jeff Rovin it is reported that more stores reported breakdowns of the Atari 2600 system
than any other, and that Atari repair centers seemed to have the most trouble with consoles manufactured in 1980. In
one case it is stated that a system was repaired five times before static electricity from a carpet was discovered as
having caused the problem. The controllers were also a source of breakage because of the way they could be gripped
by a player holding it with their fist, allowing players to get carried away and over control, which was less likely
with other systems released at the time, such as the Odyssey 2, which has controllers that are nearly half its size.
[3]
Atari 2800
53
Sears Tele-Games 2600s
Early Atari 2600 that was branded "Tele-Games" and
sold by Sears
Atari Inc. also continued their OEM relationship with Sears under
the latter's Tele-Games brand label, which started in 1975 with the
original Pong. Sears released several versions of the 2600 as the
Sears Video Arcade series from 1977 to 1983. These include the
Rev. A "Heavy Sixer" model in 1977, the Rev. B "4 switch" model
in 1980, and the US version of the Atari 2800 branded as the Sears
Video Arcade II in 1983.
Sears also released their own versions of Atari Inc.'s games under
the Tele-Games brand often with different titles which
included the Tele-Games branded variations of text and picture
labels. Three games were also produced by Atari Inc. for Sears as
exclusive releases under the Tele-Games brand: Steeplechase,
Stellar Track, and Submarine Commander.
Sears' Tele-Games brand was unrelated to the company Telegames, which also produced cartridges for the Atari
2600 mostly re-issues of M-Network games.
Decline and remodel
During this period, Atari Inc. continued to grow until it had one of the largest R&D divisions in Silicon Valley.
However, it spent much of its R&D budget on projects that seemed out of place at a video game (or even home
computer) company; many of these projects never saw the light of day. Meanwhile, several attempts to bring out
newer consoles failed for one reason or another, although Atari Inc.'s home computer systems, the Atari 8-bit family,
sold reasonably well, if not spectacularly. Warner was more than happy anyway, as it seemed to have no end to the
sales of the 2600, and Atari Inc. was responsible for over half of the company's income.
The programmers of many of Atari Inc.'s biggest hits grew disgruntled with the company for not crediting game
developers and many left the company and formed their own independent software companies. The most prominent
and longest-lasting of these third-party developers was Activision, founded in 1980, whose titles quickly became
more popular than those of Atari Inc. itself. Atari Inc. attempted to block third-party development for the 2600 in
court but failed, and soon other publishers, such as Imagic and Coleco, entered the market. Atari Inc. suffered from
an image problem when a company named Mystique produced a number of pornographic games for the 2600. The
most notorious of these, Custer's Revenge, caused a large numberWikipedia:Citation needed of protests from
women's and Native American groups because it depicts General George Armstrong Custer raping a bound Native
American woman. Atari Inc. sued Mystique in court over the release of the game.
Atari Inc. continued to scoop up licenses during the shelf life of the 2600, the most prominent of which included
Pac-Man and E.T. Public disappointment with these two titles and the market saturation of poor third-party titles are
cited as major contributors to the video game crash of 1983. Suddenly, Atari Inc.'s growth meant it was losing
massive amounts of money during the crash, at one point about $10,000 a day. Warner quickly grew tired of
supporting Atari Inc., and started looking for buyers in 1984. Although not formally discontinued, the 2600 was
de-emphasized for two years after Warner's 1984 sale of Atari Inc.'s Consumer Division to Commodore Business
Machines founder Jack Tramiel, who wanted to concentrate on home computers. He froze all development of
console games, including a 2600 Garfield game and an Atari 5200 port of Super Pac-Man.
Due to a large library and a low price point, the 2600 and its smaller cousin, the 2600jr, continued to sell well in the
late 1980s and was not discontinued until 1992, outdoing all other hardware that Atari released trying to replicate its
success.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari 2800
54
Atari 2800
Atari 2800 on display
The Atari 2800 is the Japanese version of the Atari 2600,
released in October 1983. It was the first release of a 2600
designed specifically for the Japanese market, despite
companies like Epoch distributing the 2600 in Japan
previously.
The 2800 never captured a large market in Japan. It was
released a short time after the Nintendo Famicom, which
became the dominant console in the Japanese video game
market of the time.
Codenamed "Cindy", and designed by Atari engineer Joe
Tilly, the Atari 2800 had four controller ports instead of the
standard two on the Atari 2600's. The controllers are an all-in
one design using a combination of an 8-direction digital
joystick and a 270-degree paddle, designed by John Amber.
[4]
The 2800's case design departed from the standard 2600 format, using a wedge shape with non-protruding switches.
Around 30 specially branded games were released for the 2800. Their boxes are in Japanese and have a silver/red
color scheme similar to the packaging of Atari's 2600 branded games of the time. The ROM cartridges themselves
had identical labels as their 2600 branded counterparts.
Sears liked the design of the Atari 2800 so much, they opted to sell a version under their Tele-Games label. It was
released in the US in 1983 as the Sears Video Arcade II, and was packaged with 2 controllers and Space Invaders.
The Atari 2800's case style was used as the basis for the Atari 7800's case style by Barney Huang.
Atari 2600 Jr.
The Atari 2600 in its 1984 cost-reduced version, also known
as the "2600 Jr."
In 1984, a new version of the 2600 was released. The new
redesigned version of the 2600, unofficially referred to as the
2600 Jr., featured a smaller cost-reduced form factor with a
modernized Atari 7800-like appearance. The redesigned
2600 was advertised as a budget gaming system (under
US$50) that had the ability to run a large collection of classic
games.
The Atari 2600 continued to sell in the USA and Europe until
1991, and in Asia until the early 1990s. Its final
Atari-licensed release was KLAX in 1990. In 2007 the Atari
2600 was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame, selling 40 million units in its lifetime, and the youngest toy to be
inducted.
[5]
In Brazil, the console became extremely popular in the mid-1980s. The Atari 2600 was officially retired
by Atari Corp. on January 1, 1992,Wikipedia:Citation needed making it, at the time, the longest-lived home video
game console (14 years, 4 months) in video game history. It was later surpassed by the Sega Master System, a
console which never formally ended production in Brazil.
The system was promoted on a United Kingdom TV ad in 1989 in the run-up to Christmas, in which it claimed "The
fun is back!". The advertising campaign used its price of under 50 as a selling point. The advert was a re-dubbed
version of the early original campaign in the United States. Also, the 2600 Jr. was originally to be packaged with a
Pro-Line joystick (the same one used on the Atari 7800), but when released, it instead included the original CX-40
Joystick. Later European versions of the 2600 Jr. included a joypad, which was also featured with the European
Atari 2800
55
7800.
Design
Hardware
Main article: Atari 2600 hardware
Standard joystick
The CPU was the MOS Technology 6507, a cut-down version of the
6502, running at 1.19 MHz in the 2600. The 6507 included fewer
memory address pins13 instead of 16and no external interrupts to
fit into a smaller 28-pin package. Smaller packaging was, and still is,
an important factor in overall system cost, and since memory was very
expensive at the time, the 6507's small 8kB of maximum external
memory space was not going to be used up anyway. In fact, memory
was so expensive they could not imagine using up even 4kB, and
when they got a deal on 24-pin connectors for the cartridge socket,
they were only too happy to thereby limit the games to 4K.
[6]
Later
games get around this limitation with bank switching.
The console has only 128 bytes of RAM for run-time data that includes
the call stack and the state of the game world. There is no frame buffer,
as the necessary RAM would have been too expensive. Instead the video device has two bitmapped sprites, two
one-pixel "missile" sprites, a one-pixel "ball," and a 40-pixel "playfield" that is drawn by writing a bit pattern for
each line into a register just before the television scans that line. As each line is scanned, a game must identify the
non-sprite objects that overlaps the next line, assemble the appropriate bit patterns to draw for those objects, and
write the pattern into the register. In a telling reveal of its Pong heritage, by default, the right side of the screen is a
mirrored duplicate of the left; to control it separately, the software may modify the patterns as the scan line is drawn.
After the controller scans the last active line, a more leisurely vertical blanking interval begins, during which the
game can process input and update the positions and states of objects in the game world. Any mistake in timing
produces visual artifacts, a problem programmers call racing the beam.
The video hardware gives the 2600 a reputation as one of the most complex game consoles in the world to program,
but those programmers who understand it realize that such direct control over the video picture is also a source of
flexibility. One advantage the 2600 has over more powerful contemporary competitors such as the ColecoVision is
that the 2600 has no protection against altering settings in mid-line. For example, although each sprite nominally has
only one color, it is possible to color the rows differently by changing the sprite's color as it is drawn. If the two
hardware sprites are not enough for a game, a developer may share one sprite among several objects (as with the
ghosts in Pac-Man) or draw software sprites, which is only a little more difficult than drawing a fixed playfield. The
Pitfall! screenshot below demonstrates some of these tricks: the player is a multi-color sprite, one sprite is
multiplexed for the logs and the scorpion, and the swinging vine is drawn by shifting the position of the "ball" on
each scan line. Despite the hardware limitations, many Atari 2600 games have a lot of action on the screen, creating
an engaging experience.
Additionally, the 2600 supports several types of input devices (joysticks, paddles, keyboards, etc.) and third-party
peripherals. Many of these peripherals are interchangeable with the MSX and several other Japanese systems; and in
some cases, it is possible to use the Atari joysticks with the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Amiga, Sega Master
System, and Mega Drive/Genesis, though functionality may be limited. Also, Master System and Mega
Drive/Genesis controllers work on the Atari 2600, though only the B button can be used in most games. Another
adapter is the Starpath Supercharger, an add-on created by Starpath to expand the game capabilities of the Atari
2600. The Supercharger interface adds an extra 6 KB to the Atari 2600's 128 bytes of RAM, allowing for larger
Atari 2800
56
games with higher resolution graphics. A cord coming out of the side of the cartridge plugs into the earphone jack of
any standard cassette player. Games for the Supercharger are stored on standard audio cassettes.
Color and graphics
Main article: Television Interface Adapter
The Atari 2600 uses different color palettes depending on the television signal format used.
[7]
With the NTSC
format, a 128-color palette is available, while in PAL, only 104 colors are available. Additionally, the SECAM
palette consists of only 8 colors.
Games
Pitfall!, one of the most popular third party games
for the Atari 2600.
Main articles: List of Atari 2600 games and List of Atari 2600
prototype games
During the console's lifetime, Atari Inc and Atari Corp. published
many titles. These games include Adventure (often credited as starting
the action-adventure game genreits creator, Warren Robinett, also
introduced the first widely known Easter egg to the gaming world),
Breakout,
[8]
and Yars' Revenge. The console's popularity attracted
many third-party developers, which led to popular titles such as
Activision's Pitfall! and Imagic's Atlantis. However, two Atari
published titles, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Pac-Man, are frequently
blamed for contributing to the video game crash of 1983.
Legacy
The Atari 2600 was wildly successful, and during much of the 1980s, "Atari" was a synonym for this model in
mainstream media and, by extension, for video games in general.
The Atari 2600 was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York in 2007. In
2009, the Atari 2600 was named the second greatest video game console of all time by IGN, who cited its
remarkable role as the console behind both the first video game boom and the video game crash of 1983, and called
it "the console that our entire industry is built upon."
Atari 2000
The Atari 2000 (model number CX-2000) is a prototype version of the Atari 2600 intended to be released as a
cheaper alternative for children in 1982. Although identical in specification to the original 2600, the 2000 includes
built-in controllers and a different case design. The 2000 was originally intended to be black, but it was later
recolored blue to appeal more to children. While Atari never officially stated the reason for not releasing the 2000,
experts have cited the poor quality and durability of its built-in joysticks and the greater in-house popularity of the
competing 2600 Jr. design as the most likely reasons.
Atari 3200
Atari started work on a replacement to the 2600, called the Atari 3200, with codenames including Super Stella,
Sylvia, and PAM (a note attached reads "Super Stella: Multipurpose"). The system was to have compatibility with
Atari 2600 cartridges, and was rumored based on a 10-bit processor, although design documents shows it was to be
based around the 6502 8-bit CPU. It was still unfinished when preliminary game programmers discovered that it was
difficult to program. The project was cancelled, and Atari went with the second "System X" also titled PAM, that
Atari 2800
57
would later become the Atari 5200. Atari also cloned the Atari 3200 into the Sears Super Arcade II, but this was
never released.
Clones and reissues
The console and its old and new games are very popular with collectors because of its significant impact on video
game and consumer electronics history and also due to its nostalgic value for many people, along with a number of
games that are still considered highly playable. In addition, modern Atari 2600 clones remain on the market. One
example is the Atari Classics 10-in-1 TV Game, manufactured by Jakks Pacific, which emulates the 2600 console,
and includes converted versions of 10 games into a single Atari-brand-lookalike joystick with composite video
outputs for connecting directly to modern televisions or VCRs. Another is the TV Boy, which includes 127 games in
an enlarged joypad.
The Atari Flashback 2 console, released in 2005, contains 40 games (with four more programs unlockable by a cheat
code). The console implements the original 2600 architecture and can be modified to play original 2600 cartridges
by adding a cartridge port, and is compatible with original 2600 controllers.
In music
Many games for the Atari 2600 have detailed and easily identifiable music, and its distinctive sound makes it ideal
for use in modern lo-fi and industrial music. In 2002, Dallas musician and visual artist Paul Slocum developed a
cartridge called Synthcart for the Atari 2600, which allows the user to turn an Atari 2600 into a two-voice
synthesizer and drum machine. Adapters have also been developed by amateurs enabling the Atari 2600's use with
MIDI devices. A number of bands, such as 8 Bit Weapon, Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Squigs, as well as
Slocum's own band Tree Wave, use Synthcart to make modern music on the Atari 2600.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Some effects units like the MXR Blue Box are often cited for their ability to produce an Atari-like sound. Phonte
from the hip-hop group Little Brother, along with fellow lyricist Eccentric, formed a mock-group named Unheralded
Symmetrics, and recorded a tribute to the system, entitled "Atari 2600".
Emulation
Atari 2600 emulation is available for most major operating systems and is now very accurate. Despite the relative
simplicity of the 2600 system, it is not an easy system to emulate. While it does not require a lot of computational
power to emulate the 2600, it is hard to accurately do so. For example, because of the lack of a frame buffer, 2600
emulators must not only emulate the console, but the television as well. Due to the longevity of the system, many
2600 games use undocumented features, and even exploit bugs in the hardware to squeeze the most functionality and
performance out of the system, doing things even the original designers would deem impossible. A notable example
is the starfield of the game Cosmic Ark. It took some time for the emulator programmers to mature their software to
properly emulate the undocumented features, bugs and quirks of the system.
The MESS emulator supports recording and playing back of Atari 2600 emulation sessions. The Home Action
Replay Page
[9]
(aka HARP) allows Atari 2600 users to archive their favorite play sessions of the Atari 2600 system
and its games. The javatari emulator has a multiplayer mode that allows two users to play as Player1 and Player2
respectively, as if they were playing on the same console.
Well known Atari 2600 emulators today include the following:
Stella - An open source, multiplatform emulator (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, Wii,
GP2X).
z26 Another open source, multiplatform customizable emulator (Windows, MS-DOS, Linux)
javatari Open-source, multiplatform Java based emulator with network multiplayer features and a real console
panel user interface.
Atari 2800
58
PC Atari Emulator Easy to use, very fast emulator (Windows, MS-DOS). Handles the Cosmic Ark starfield
effect correctly.
MESS the multi system emulator that supports all old Atari console systems
The Pocket VCS PPC Easy to use, very fast and emulator (Windows Mobile).Wikipedia:Citation needed
GP2X-2600 An emulator for the GP2X handheld console
Homebrews
Main article: Atari 2600 homebrew
Thomas Jentzsch's Thrust, a homebrew game for
the Atari 2600
After 30 years since the launch of the Atari 2600, new homebrew
games for the system are still made and sold by hobbyists with several
new titles available each year. Most of the development on the
platform is still done in 6502 assembly language but a BASIC-like
language compiler named batari Basic (or "bB") and visual
environment called Visual batari Basic are also available.
Games created for the Atari can be executed using either an emulator
or copied directly to a blank cartridge making use of either a PROM or
EPROM chip. This allows the construction of homebrew cartridges
that will run on an original Atari 2600.
Programmers
This is a partial list of Atari 2600 programmers:
David Crane
Tod Frye
Rob Fulop
Larry Kaplan was one of the top programmers on the Atari 2600.
[10]
Carla Meninsky
Alan Miller
Warren Robinett
Carol Shaw
Howard Scott Warshaw
Bob Whitehead
Tom Reuterdahl
Ed Fries
Jon Leupp
Atari 2800
59
Notes
[1] Image of box with Pac-Man sticker (http:/ / www. mr-atari. com/ afbeeldingen/ systems/ 2600pacmanblue. jpg)
[2] Steve Fulton, "Atari: The Golden Years -- A History, 1978-1981" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ view/ feature/ 3766/
atari_the_golden_years__a_. php?page=6), Gamasutra, 21 August 2008, pg. 6
[3] "The Complete Guide to Conquering Video Games" by Jeff Rovin, Collier Books, 1982 pages 7, 9, 11
[4] The Atari 2800 System (http:/ / www.atarimuseum.com/ videogames/ consoles/ 2800/ A2800. html)
[5] Salon-Friday,Nov.9,2007-Toy Hall Of Fame (http:/ / www. salon. com/ 2007/ 11/ 09/ toy_hall_of_fame/ )
[6] The cartridge connector's 24 pins are allocated to one supply voltage line, two ground lines, 8 data lines, and 13 address lines. However, the
uppermost address line is used as a so-called chip select for the cartridge's ROM chip, leaving only 12 address lines for the chip's game
program. Thus, without special "hardware tricks" built into the cartridge, an Atari 2600 game can occupy a maximum address space of 4K.
[7] Atari 2600 "TIA color chart" (http:/ / www.biglist.com/ lists/ stella/ archives/ 200109/ msg00285. html).
[8] MobyGames. "Breakout for Atari 2600," (retrieved on March 2nd, 2009). (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ atari-2600/ breakout_)
[9] Home Action Replay Page (http:/ / www.homeactionreplay. org/ search. php?tourney=7)
[10] [10] 090420 rabayjr.com
References
Perry, Tekla; Wallich, Paul. "Design case history: the Atari Video Computer System". IEEE Spectrum. March
1983.
External links
Atari 2600 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Atari/ VCS_Family/
Atari_2600) at DMOZ
Gamasutra's A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS (http:/ / www. gamasutra.
com/ view/ feature/ 3551/ a_history_of_gaming_platforms_. php)
Review of Atari 2600 games (http:/ / www. videogamecritic. net/ 2600aa. htm)
batari Basic page (http:/ / bataribasic. com/ )
Inside the Atari 2600 (http:/ / www. hardwaresecrets. com/ article/ Inside-the-Atari-2600/ 1552)
A history of the Atari VCS/2600 (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=the-great-video-game-crash)
Atari 5200
60
Atari 5200
Atari 5200
Manufacturer Atari Inc.
Retail availability
NA
November 1982
Discontinued 21 May 1984
Units sold 1million
Media ROM cartridge
CPU MOS 6502C @ 1.79 MHz
Trak-Ball
Predecessor Atari 2600
Atari 5200 system with controller, game cartridges and packaging
The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly
known as the Atari 5200, is a video game
console that was introduced in 1982 by
Atari Inc. as a higher-end complementary
console for the popular Atari 2600. The
5200 was created to compete with the
Intellivision, but wound up more directly
competing with the ColecoVision shortly
after its release.
[1]
The 5200 was based on Atari Inc.'s existing
400/800 computers and the internal
hardware was almost identical, although
software was not directly compatible
between the two systems. The 5200's
controllers have an analog joystick and a
numeric keypad along with start, pause and
reset buttons. The 360-degree non-centering joystick was touted as offering more control than the eight-way joystick
controller offered with the Atari 2600.
Atari 5200
61
Hardware
Much of the technology in the Atari 8-bit family of home computer systems were originally developed as a
second-generation games console intended to replace the 2600. However, as the system was reaching completion,
the personal computer revolution was starting with the release of machines like the Commodore PET, TRS-80 and
Apple II. These machines were similar in technological terms to the 2600, but sold for much higher prices with
associated higher profit margins. Atari's management decided to enter this market, and the new technology was
repackaged into the Atari 400 and 800, hitting the market in 1979.
The chipset used in the 400 and 800 was designed because they were aware the 2600 would be obsolete by the 1980
time frame. What was surprising was the sudden entry into the market of new competition, whose machines quickly
cut off the sales of the 2600. Atari decided to re-enter the games market with a design that closely matched their
original 1978 specifications. In its prototype stage, the Atari 5200 was originally called the "Atari Video System X -
Advanced Video Computer System", and was codenamed "Pam" after a female employee at Atari Inc. It is also
rumored that PAM actually stood for "Personal Arcade Machine", as the majority of games for the system ended up
being arcade conversions. Actual working Atari Video System X machines, whose hardware is 100% identical to the
Atari 5200 do exist, but are extremely rare.
The initial 1982 release of the system featured four controller ports, where nearly all other systems of the day had
only one or two ports. The 5200 also featured a revolutionary new controller with an analog joystick, numeric
keypad, two fire buttons on each side of the controller and game function keys for Start, Pause, and Reset. The 5200
also featured the innovation of the first automatic TV switchbox, allowing it to automatically switch from regular TV
viewing to the game system signal when the system was activated. Previous RF adapters required the user to slide a
switch on the adapter by hand. This unique RF box was also where the power supply connected in a unique dual
power/television signal setup similar to the RCA Studio II's. A single cable coming out of the 5200 plugged into the
switch box and was used for both electricity and the television signal.
The 1983 revision of the Atari 5200 has two controller ports instead of four, and a change back to the more
conventional separate power supply and standard non-autoswitching RF switch. It also has changes in the cartridge
port address lines to allow for the Atari 2600 adapter released that year. While the adapter was only made to work on
the two-port version, modifications can be made to the four-port to make it line-compatible. In fact, towards the end
of the four-port model's production run, there were a limited number of consoles produced which included these
modifications. These consoles can be identified by an asterisk in their serial number.
Controllers
The Atari 5200 controller
The controller prototypes used in the electrical development lab used a
yoke and gimbal mechanism that came from an RC airplane controller
kit. This simple design gave smooth linear control and was highly
reliable.Wikipedia:Citation needed The design of the analog joystick,
which used a weak rubber boot rather than springs to provide centering,
proved to be ungainly and unreliable. They quickly became the Achilles'
heel of the system because of their combination of an overly complex
mechanical design with a very low-cost internal flex circuit system.
Another major flaw of the controllers was that the design did not
translate into a linear acceleration from the center through the arc of the
stick travel. The controllers did, however, include a pause button, a
unique feature at the time. Various third-party replacement joysticks
were also released, including those made by Wico.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
Atari 5200
62
Atari Inc. released the Pro-Line Trak-Ball controller for the system, which was used primarily for gaming titles such
as Centipede and Missile Command. A paddle controller and an updated self-centering version of the original
controller were also in development, but never made it to market.
Games shipped with plastic card overlays that snapped in over the keypad. The card would indicate which game
functions, such as changing the view or vehicle speed, were assigned to each key.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The primary controller was ranked the 10th worst video game controller by IGN editor Craig Harris.
Internal differences between the 5200 and the 400/800
Although the Atari 5200's internal design was extensively based on that of the 400/800 home computers, the
differences were sufficient that games designed for one would not run directly on the other.
One of the most obvious differences was the 5200's lack of a keyboard. However, there were several others:
The 400/800's 10KB operating system was replaced with a simpler 2KB BIOS, of which 1KB is the built-in
character set.
[2]
A number of important registers, such as those of the GTIA and POKEY chips appear at different memory
locations.
The purpose of some registers changed slightly on the 5200.
The 5200's analog joysticks appeared as pairs of paddles to the hardware, which required different input handling
to the traditional digital joystick input on the 400/800.
Atari Corp.'s later XE Games System revisited the idea of a console based on the 400/800 hardware. However, as
this was essentially just a 65XE computer with a detachable keyboard, it was (unlike the 5200) able to run most of
the home computer titles directly.
Market performance
The Atari 5200 did not fare well commercially, compared to its predecessor, the Atari 2600. While it touted superior
graphics to the 2600 and Mattel's Intellivision, the system was initially incompatible with the 2600's expansive
library of games, and some market analysts have speculated that this hurt its sales, especially since an Atari 2600
cartridge adapter had been released for the Intellivision II.Wikipedia:Citation needed (A revised 2-port model was
released in 1983, along with a game adapter that allowed gamers to play all 2600 games.)Wikipedia:Citation needed
This lack of new games was due in part to a lack of funding, with Atari continuing to develop most of its games for
the saturated 2600 market.
Many of the 5200's games appeared simply as updated versions of 2600 titles, which failed to excite consumers. Its
pack-in game, Super Breakout, was particularly criticized for not doing enough to demonstrate the system's
capabilities,Wikipedia:Citation needed and this gave the ColecoVision a significant advantage when its pack-in,
Donkey Kong, delivered a more authentic arcade experience than any previous game cartridge. In its list of the top 25
game consoles of all time, IGN claimed that the main reason for the 5200's market failure was the technological
superiority of its competitor, while other sources maintain that the two consoles are roughly equivalent in power.
At one point following the 5200's release, Atari had planned a smaller, cost-reduced version of the Atari 5200, which
would have removed the controller storage bin. Code-named the "Atari 5100" (a.k.a. "Atari 5200 Jr."), only a few
fully working prototype 5100s were made before the project was canceled.
On May 21, 1984, during a press conference at which the Atari 7800 was introduced, company executives revealed
that the 5200 had been discontinued after just two years on the market. Total sales of the 5200 were reportedly in
excess of 1million units.
Atari 5200
63
CPU: Custom MOS Technology 6502C @ 1.79MHz (not a 65C02).
Support Hardware: 3 custom VLSI chips
Maximum Screen Resolution: 384x240 (overscan), 256 color palette. Register values can be changed at every
scan line using ANTIC display list interrupts, allowing all 256 colors to be displayed at once.
Graphics: ANTIC and GTIA
Sound: 4-channel sound via the POKEY chip which also handles keyboard scanning, serial I/O, high resolution
interrupt capable timers (single cycle accurate), and random number generation.
RAM: 16 KB
ROM:
2 KB on-board BIOS for system startup and interrupt routing.
32 KB ROM window for standard game cartridges, expandable using bank switching techniques.
Dimensions: 13" 15" 4.25"
Games
Main article: List of Atari 5200 games
There were a total of 69 games officially released for the system.Wikipedia:Citation needed Super Breakout,
Galaxian and Space Invaders were the system's launch titles. A port of Asteroids was advertised as a launch title, but
was never released.Wikipedia:Citation needed Gremlins, released in 1986, was the last game officially released for
the system.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Reception
The 5200 received much criticism for the "sloppy" design of its non-centering analog controllers and its high asking
price.Wikipedia:Citation needed In August 2009, video game website IGN placed the 5200 23rd out of the 25
greatest video game consoles of all time, behind its predecessor (the 2600, ranked 2nd greatest), its successor (the
7800, 17th), and both its main competitors (the Intellivision and Colecovision, 14th and 12th respectively).
References
[1] [1] G4TV's Icons season 2 episode 1 "Atari"
[2] Transporting Atari computer programs to the Atari 5200 (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 5200/ conv_to_5200.
html), A.N.A.L.O.G. #15 (January 1984), via atarimuseum.com. Article retrieved 2007-04-22.
External links
AtariAge Comprehensive Atari 5200 database and information (http:/ / www. atariage. com/ software_search.
html?SystemID=5200)
Atari Museum (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 5200/ A5200. html)
Bally Astrocade
64
Bally Astrocade
Bally Astrocade
Manufacturer Bally, Astrovision
Release date 1977
Discontinued 1983
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Zilog Z80 clocked at 1.789 MHz
Memory RAM: 4k-64k (with external modules) RAM, 8k ROM
Display 160102 (8 colours), 16088 (2 colours), 320204
The Astrocade is a second generation video game console and simple computer system designed by a team at
Midway, which back then, was the videogame division of Bally. It was marketed only for a limited time before Bally
decided to exit the market. The rights were later picked up by a third-party company, who re-released it and sold it
until around 1984. The Astrocade is particularly notable for its very powerful graphics capabilities for the time of
release,Wikipedia:Citation needed and for the difficulty in accessing those capabilities.
History
Originally referred to as the Bally Home Library Computer, it was released in 1977 but available only through
mail order. Delays in the production meant none of the units actually shipped until 1978, and by this time the
machine had been renamed the Bally Professional Arcade. In this form it sold mostly at computer stores and had
little retail exposure (unlike the Atari VCS). In 1979 Bally grew less interested in the arcade market and decided to
sell off their Consumer Products Division, including development and production of the game console.
At about the same time a 3rd party group had been unsuccessfully attempting to bring their own console design to
market as the Astrovision.
[1]
A corporate buyer from Montgomery Ward who was in charge of the Bally system put
the two groups in contact, and a deal was eventually arranged. In 1981 they re-released the unit with the BASIC
cartridge included for free, this time known as the Bally Computer System, and then changed the name again in
1982 to Astrocade. It sold under this name until the video game crash of 1983, and then disappeared around 1985.
Midway had long been planning to release an expansion system for the unit, known as the ZGRASS-100. The
system was being developed by a group of computer artists at the University of Illinois at Chicago known as the
'Circle Graphics Habitat', along with programmers at Nutting. Midway felt that such a system, in an external box,
would make the Astrocade more interesting to the market. However it was still not ready for release when Bally sold
off the division. A small handful may have been produced as the ZGRASS-32 after the machine was re-released by
Astrovision.
Bally Astrocade
65
The system, combined into a single box, would eventually be released as the Datamax UV-1. Aimed at the home
computer market while being designed, the machine was now re-targeted as a system for outputting high-quality
graphics to video tape. These were offered for sale some time between 1980 and 1982, but it is unknown how many
were built.
Description
In the late 1970s Midway contracted Dave Nutting Associates to design a video display chip that could be used in all
of their videogame systems, from standup arcade games, to a home computer system. The system Nutting delivered
was used in most of Midway's classic arcade games of the era, including Gorf and Wizard of Wor.
The basic systems were powered by a Zilog Z80 driving the display chip with a RAM buffer in between the two. The
display chip had two modes, a low-resolution mode at 160 102, and a high-resolution mode at 320 204, both
with 2-bits per pixel for four colors. This sort of color/resolution was normally beyond the capabilities of RAM of
the era, which could not read out the data fast enough to keep up with the TV display. The chip used a clever trick to
work around this problem, technically "holding the RAS high", allowing them to read one "line" at a time at very
high speed into a buffer inside the display chip. The line could then be read out to the screen at a more leisurely rate,
while also interfering less with the CPU, which was also trying to use the same memory.
On the Astrocade the pins needed to use this "trick" were not connected. Thus the Astrocade system was left with
just the lower resolution 160 102 mode. In this mode the system used up 160 102 2bits = 4080 bytes of
memory to hold the screen. Since the machine had only 4k of RAM, this left very little room left over for the
program's use, which was used for things like holding the score, or game options. The rest of the program would
have to be placed in ROM.
The Astrocade used color registers, or color indirection as it was often referred to then, so the four colors could be
picked from a palette of 256 colors. Color animation was possible by changing the values of the registers, and using
a horizontal blank interrupt you could change them from line to line. An additional set of four color registers could
be "swapped in" at any point along the line, allowing you to create two "halves" of the screen, split vertically.
Originally intended to allow you to easily create a "score area" on the side of the screen, clever programmers used
this feature to emulate 8 color modes.
Unlike the VCS, the Astrocade did not include hardware sprite support. It did, however, include a blitter-like system
and software to drive it. Memory above 0x4000 was dedicated to the display, and memory below that to the ROM. If
a program wrote to the ROM space (normally impossible, it is "read only" after all) the video chip would take the
data, apply a function to it, and then copy the result into the corresponding location in the RAM. Which function to
use was stored in a register in the display chip, and included common instructions like XOR and bit-shift. This
allowed the Astrocade to support any number of "sprites" independent of hardware, with the downside that it was up
to the software to re-draw them when they moved.
The Astrocade was one of the early cartridge-based systems, using cartridges known as Videocades that were
designed to be as close in size and shape as possible to a cassette tape. The unit also included two games built into
the ROM, Gunfight and Checkmate, along with the simple but useful Calculator and a "doodle" program called
Scribbling.
The Astrocade featured a relatively complex input device incorporating several types of control mechanisms: the
controller was shaped as a pistol-style grip with trigger switch on the front; a small 4-switch/8-way joystick was
placed on top of the grip, and the shaft of the joystick connected to a potentiometer, meaning that the stick could be
rotated to double as a paddle controller. By most reports Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Unsupported
attributions the controllers were excellentWikipedia:Citation needed, but had the downside of breaking frequently.
On the front of the unit was a 24-key "hex-pad" keyboard used for selecting games and options. Most cartridges
included two games, and when they were inserted the machine would reset and display a menu starting with the
Bally Astrocade
66
programs on the cartridge and then listing the four built-in programs. On the back were a number of ports, including
connectors for power, the controllers, and an expansion port. One oddity was that the top rear of the unit was empty,
and could be opened to store up to 15 cartridges. The system's ability to be upgraded from a Videogame console to
Personal computer along with its library of nearly 30 games in 1982 are some reasons that made it more versatile
than its main competitors, and was listed by Jeff Rovin as one of the seven major video game suppliers.
[2]
BASIC
The Astrocade also included a BASIC programming language cartridge which was based on Lee Chen Wang's Palo
Alto Tiny BASIC. Supporting BASIC on the system was very difficult, because the display alone used up almost all
the available RAM. The solution to this problem was very complex, yet very clever.
BASIC programs were stored in the video RAM by interleaving every bit of the program along with the display
itself; BASIC used all the even-numbered bits, and the display got the odd-numbered bits. The interpreter would read
out two bytes, drop all the odd-numbered bits, and assemble the results into a single byte of code. This was rendered
invisible by setting two of the colors to be the same as the other two, such that colors 01 and 11 would be the
same (white), so the presence, or lack, of a bit for BASIC had no effect on the screen. Additional memory was
scavenged by using fewer lines vertically, only 88 instead of the full 102. The end result of all this was to manage to
squeeze out 1760 bytes of RAM for BASIC programs. The downside was that most of the graphics system's power
was unavailable.
BASIC was programmed, laboriously, through this keyboard by assigning each of the keys a single command,
number and several alpha characters. These were selected through a set of 4 colored shift keys. This way you simply
typed "WORD"(gold) shift then the "+" key and got GOTO.
ZGRASS
The ZGRASS unit sat under the Astrocade and turned it into a "real" computer, including a full keyboard, a math
co-processor (FPU), 32k of RAM, and a new 32k ROM containing the GRASS programming language (sometimes
referred to as GRAFIX on this machine). The unit also added I/O ports for a cassette and floppy disk, allowing it to
be used with CP/M.
Specifications
Circuit board and cartridges
CPU: Z80, 1.789MHz
RAM: 4k (up to 64k with external modules in the expansion port)
ROM: 8k
Cart ROM: 8k
Expansion: 64K total
Ports: 4 controller, 1 expansion, 1 light pen
Sound: 3 voices + noise/vibrato effects (played through the TV)
Bally Astrocade
67
Video
Resolution: True 160102 / Basic 16088 / Expanded RAM 320204
Colors: True 8* / Basic 2
The bitmap structure of the Bally actually only allows for 4 color settings. However, through the use of 2 color
palettes and a left/right boundary control byte you could have the left section of screen (this could be the play
field) use 1 set of colors while the right side (this could show information such as lives and score) used an
entirely different set of colors, thus 8 total colors were possible.
Graphic type: Bitmap, 2 plane bitpacked
List of games
Official Video Games There are 28 officially released video games for the system.
280 Zzzap / Dodgem (1978)
Amazing Maze / Tic Tac Toe (1978)
Artillery Duel (1982)
Astro Battle (1981) (originally titled Space Invaders)
Bally Pin (1981)
Biorhythm (1981)
Blackjack / Poker / Acey-Deucey (1978)
Blast Droids (1981)
Clowns / Brickyard (1979)
Cosmic Raiders (1978)
Dog Patch (1978)
Elementary Math and Speed Math (1978)
Football (1978)
Galactic Invasion (1978) (originally titled Galaxian)
Galaxian (1978) (later retitled Galactic Invasion)
Grand Prix / Demolition Derby (1978)
Gun Fight (1977)
The Incredible Wizard (1981)
Letter Match / Spell'n Score / Crosswords (1981)
Ms. CandyMan (1983) (very rare)
Muncher (1981)
Panzer Attack / Red Baron (1978)
Pirates Chase (1981)
Sea Devil (1983) (rare)
Seawolf / Missile (1978)
Solar Conqueror (1981)
Space Fortress (1981)
Space Invaders (1981) (AKA Astro Battle)
Star Battle (1978)
Tornado Baseball / Tennis / Hockey / Handball (1978)
Treasure Cove (1983)
Other Cartridges
BASIC
Machine Language Manager
Prototypes
Mazeman
Soccer
Homebrew
War
Bally Astrocade
68
References
[1] http:/ / www. islandnet. com/ ~kpolsson/ vidgame/ vid1982. htm Chronology of Video Game Systems by Ken Polsson
[2] The Complete Guide to Conquering Video Games, by Jeff Rovin, Collier Books, 1982
External links
Bally Alley (http:/ / www. ballyalley. com/ )
Bally Astrocade text FAQ (http:/ / www. ballyalley. com/ faqs/ bally-astrocade_faq. txt)
The Bally Astrocade entry in Classic Gaming Museum at GameSpy.com (http:/ / gamingmuseum. classicgaming.
gamespy. com/ bally. html)
Bally/Astrocade html FAQ (http:/ / www. glankonian. com/ ~lance/ Ballyfaq. html)
Astrocade history at The Dot Eaters (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=bally-professional-arcade)
Astrocade TV Commercial from 1982 (http:/ / www. fuzzymemories. tv/ index. php?c=1685) at The Museum of
Classic Chicago Television (www.FuzzyMemories.TV) (http:/ / www. FuzzyMemories. TV)
ColecoVision
69
ColecoVision
ColecoVision
Manufacturer Coleco
Retail availability
NA
August 1982
EU
1982
Discontinued 1985
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Zilog Z80
Storage 8/16/24/32 KB
Graphics TMS9928A
Controller input Joystick/Numeric Keypad
Roller Controller
Driving Controller
Super Action Controller
Best-selling game Donkey Kong (pack-in)
Predecessor Telstar Arcade (1978)
The ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console, which was released in August
1982. The ColecoVision offered near-arcade-quality graphics and gaming style along with the means to expand the
system's basic hardware. Released with a catalog of 12 launch titles, with an additional 10 games announced for
1982, approximately 145 titles in total were published as ROM cartridges for the system between 1982 and 1984.
River West Brands currently owns the ColecoVision brand name.
In 2009, IGN named the ColecoVision their 12th best video game console out of their list of 25, citing "its incredible
accuracy in bringing current-generation arcade hits home."
ColecoVision
70
History
Coleco licensed Nintendo's Donkey Kong as the official pack-in cartridge for all ColecoVision consoles, helping to
boost the console's popularity. By Christmas of 1982, Coleco had sold more than 500,000 units, in part on the
strength of its bundled game. The ColecoVision's main competitor was the arguably more advanced but less
commercially successful Atari 5200.
The ColecoVision was distributed by CBS Electronics outside of North America, and was branded the CBS
ColecoVision.
Sales quickly passed 1 million in early 1983,
[1]
before the video game crash of 1983. By the beginning of 1984,
quarterly sales of the ColecoVision had dramatically decreased.
Over the next 18 months, the Coleco company ramped down its video game division, ultimately withdrawing from
the video game market by the end of the summer of 1985. The ColecoVision was officially discontinued by October
1985. Total sales of the ColecoVision are uncertain but were ultimately in excess of 2 million units, as sales had
reached that number by the spring of 1984, while the console continued to sell modestly up until its discontinuation
the following year.
In 1983 Spectravideo announced the SV-603 ColecoVision Video Game Adapter for its SV-318 computer. The
company stated that the $70 product allowed users to "enjoy the entire library of exciting ColecoVision video-game
cartridges". In 1986, Bit Corporation produced a ColecoVision clone called the Dina, which was sold in the United
States by Telegames as the Telegames Personal Arcade.
Hardware
The main console unit consists of a 1482inch rectangular plastic case that houses the motherboard, with a
cartridge slot on the right side and connectors for the external power supply and RF jack at the rear. The controllers
connect into plugs in a recessed area on the top of the unit.
The design of the controllers is similar to that of Mattel's Intellivisionthe controller is rectangular and consists of a
numeric keypad and a set of side buttons. In place of the circular control disc below the keypad, the Coleco
controller has a short, 1.5-inch joystick. The keypad is designed to accept a thin plastic overlay that maps the keys
for a particular game. Each ColecoVision console shipped with two controllers.
All first-party cartridges and most third-party software titles feature a 12-second pause before presenting the game
select screen. This delay results from an intentional loop in the console's BIOS to enable on-screen display of the
ColecoVision brand. Companies like Parker Brothers, Activision, and Micro Fun bypassed this loop, which
necessitated embedding portions of the BIOS outside the delay loop, further reducing storage available to actual
game programming.
ColecoVision
Circuit Board, Top
1
ColecoVision Circuit Board, Top 2 ColecoVision
Circuit Board,
Bottom 1
ColecoVision
71
CPU: NEC version of Zilog Z80A @ 3.58MHz (See chip U1, marked NEC D780C-1 in circuit board picture)
Video processor: Texas Instruments TMS9928A (40-pin DIP located under the heat sink)
256192 pixel resolution
32 sprites on-screen at once
16 colors
Sound: Texas Instruments SN76489A PSG (chip U20 on circuit board)
3 tone generators
1 noise generator
VRAM: 16 KB (as eight 16K x 1-bit chips, marked ITT 8244 4116 3N on circuit board)
RAM: 1 KB (as two 1K x 4-bit chips, marked UPD2114LC (U3 & U4) on circuit board)
ROM: 8 KB Texas Instruments TMS4764 Mask ROM (chip U2, marked TMS4764NL on circuit board)
Storage: ROM Cartridge of 8, 16, 24 or 32 KB capacity.
Expansion Modules and accessories
Expansion Module #2 Super Action Controller
From its introduction, Coleco touted the ColecoVision's hardware expandability by highlighting the Expansion
Module Interface on the front of the unit. These hardware expansion modules and accessories were sold separately.
Released
1. Expansion Module #1 makes the ColecoVision compatible with the industry-leading Atari 2600. Functionally,
this gave the ColecoVision the largest software library of any console of its day. The expansion module prompted
legal action from Atari, but Atari was unable to stop sales of the module because the 2600 could be reproduced
with off the shelf parts. Coleco also designed and sold the Gemini game system, which was a clone of the 2600,
but with combined joystick/paddle controllers.
2. Expansion Module #2 is a driving controller (steering wheel / gas pedal) that came packaged with a port of the
arcade game Turbo. The gas pedal is merely a simple on/off switch, so many games used the second
ColecoVision controller as a gear shift for more precise speed control. Note that although Coleco called the
driving controller an expansion module, it actually plugs into the controller port, not the Expansion Module
Interface.
[2]
The driving controller is also compatible with the games Destructor, Bump n Jump, and Dukes Of
Hazzard.
3. Expansion Module #3 converts the ColecoVision into a full-fledged computer known as the Adam, complete
with keyboard, digital data pack (DDP) cassette drives and printer.
4. The Roller Controller is a trackball that came packaged with a port of the arcade game Slither, a Centipede
clone. The roller controller uses a special power connector which is not compatible with Expansion Module #3
(the Adam computer). To remedy this, Coleco mailed an adapter to owners of both units who complained.
[3]
The
roller controller is also compatible with the games Victory, Omega Race, and Wargames, and was also notably
ColecoVision
72
compatible with Atarisoft's port of their version of the Centipede video game, which used a trackball for arcade
play.
5. The Super Action Controller Set is a set of two joysticks (each resembling a boxing glove) that came packaged
with the game Super Action Baseball. Each joystick has four action buttons, a 12-button numeric keypad, and a
"speed roller".
[4]
The Super Action Controllers are also compatible with the games Super Action Football, Rocky
Super Action Boxing, and a port of the arcade game Front Line.
Games
See also: List of ColecoVision games
See also: List of Coleco Adam games
ColecoVision Donkey Kong Pack-in Game
Cartridge
Legacy
In 1996, programmer Kevin Horton released the first homebrew game
for the ColecoVision, a Tetris clone entitled Kevtris.
In 1997, Telegames released Personal Arcade Vol. 1, a collection of
ColecoVision games for Microsoft Windows, and a 1998 follow-up,
Colecovision Hits Volume One.
In popular culture
The value of the ColecoVision as a 1980s pop culture icon was discussed on VH1's I Love The 80's Strikes Back.
Several television series have aired episodes that reference or parody the console: South Park,
[5]
Family Guy
[6]
and
Everybody Hates Chris.
See Also
Coleco Gemini
References
[1] [1] Video Game Maker Says 1st-Quarter Profit More Than Tripled, 1983-04-20
[2] http:/ / www. colecovisionzone. com/ photos/ accessory/ module2%20manual. pdf
[3] http:/ / www. colecovisionzone. com/ photos/ accessory/ roller%20manual. pdf
[4] http:/ / www. colecovisionzone. com/ photos/ accessory/ superaction%20manual. pdf
[5] [5] "Chickenpox", Season 2 Episode 23, Production no. 210
[6] [6] "I Take Thee Quaqmire", Season 4 Episode 21, Production no. 4ACX23
ColecoVision
73
External links
ColecoVision (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ ColecoVision) at DMOZ
Wikimedia Commons has media related to ColecoVision.
Epoch Cassette Vision
74
Cassette Vision
The Cassette Vision
Manufacturer Epoch
Release date
JP
July 30, 1981
Introductory price 13,500
Media ROM cartridge
Input Internal controllers
Successor Super Cassette Vision
The Cassette Vision (Japanese: Hepburn: Kasetto BijonHelp:Installing Japanese
character sets) is a video game console made by Epoch and released in Japan on July 30, 1981. There is also a
remodel called the Cassette Vision Jr.
The term "cassette" is a contemporary synonym for "ROM cartridge", not to be confused with the magnetic cassette
tape format. In terms of power, it is comparable to the Atari 2600. The console uses cartridges and it has the
distinction of being the first successful programmable console video game system to be made in
Japan.Wikipedia:Citation needed The Cassette Vision has unusual controls: four knobs built into the console itself,
two for each player (one for horizontal, one for vertical); plus two buttons per player.
The system originally retailed for 13,500 yen, with games priced at 4,000. Though the Cassette Vision was not a
high seller,Wikipedia:Citation needed it received a successor called the Super Cassette Vision (
Sp Kasetto BijonHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) As a 1984 machine, it is more
comparable to the likes of the Family Computer and the Atari 7800. The SCV was also sold in Europe, but with little
known success.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Except for their failed Game Pocket Computer handheld system, Epoch never released another video game
console.Wikipedia:Citation needed
75
Cassette Vision
Games
Astro Command - an action game released by Epoch in 1983.
Baseball - a baseball game released by Epoch in 1981.
Battle Vader - a shoot 'em up released by Epoch in 1982.
Big Sports 12 - a sports game released by Epoch in 1981.
Elevator Panic
Galaxian (this version of Galaxian is not based on Namco's game but on Nihon Bussan's Moon Cresta )
Kikori no Yosaku
Monster Block
Monster Mansion (Donkey Kong clone)
New Baseball
PakPak Monster
Specifications
The Cassette Vision Jr., a cost reduced and
minimized version of the Cassette Vision released
in 1983.
Cassette Vision's controllers are integrated into the body.
Cassette Vision
2 x 2-directional lever switches
4 x Push buttons
4 x Revolving dials
1 x Course switch
1 x Select button
1 x Start button
1 x AUX. button
Cassette Vision Jr.
1 x 2-directional lever switch
4 x Push buttons
1 x Select button
1 x Start button
Cassette Vision hardware has only the controllers and power supply circuit. Other components include the 1chip
CPU.Wikipedia:Please clarify The RAM and video processor are on the cartridge circuit board.
76
Super Cassette Vision
Super Cassette Vision (1984)
Games
Astro Wars - Invaders from Space
Astro Wars II - Battle in Galaxy
BASIC Nyuumon
Boulder Dash
Comic Circus
Doraemon
Dragon Ball: Dragon Daihiky
Dragon Slayer
Elevator Fight
Lupin III
Mappy
Milky Princess
Miner 2049er
Nebula
Nekketsu Kung-Fu Load
Pole Position II
Pop and Chips
Punch Boy
Rantou Pro-Wrestling
Shogi Nyuumon
Sky Kid
Star Speeder
Super Base Ball
Giants Hara Tatsunori no Super Base Ball
Super Golf
Super Mahjong
Super Sansu-Puter
Super Soccer
TonTon Ball
WaiWai(Y2) Monster Land
Wheelie Racer
77
Specifications
CPU: PD7801G microcontroller (*NOT* Z80 compatible core)
RAM: 128 bytes (internal to CPU)
ROM: 4KB (internal to CPU)
Video Processor: EPOCH TV-1
VRAM: 4KB (2 PD4016C-2) + 2KB (EPOCH TV-1 internal)
Colour: 16
Sprites: 128
Display: 256256
Sound Processor: PD1771C
Sound: 1 channel (Tone, Noise or 1bit PCM)
Controllers: 2 hard-wired joysticks
References
External links
EPOCH Super Cassette Vision Emulator for Win32 (http:/ / homepage3. nifty. com/ takeda-toshiya/ )
42.92871608921360
EPOCH Super Cassette Vision hardware info (http:/ / homepage3. nifty. com/ takeda-toshiya/ scv/ scv. pdf) (in
Japanese)
Epoch Cassette Vision hardware information (http:/ / www2. odn. ne. jp/ ~haf09260/ Scv/ EnrScv. htm) (in
Japanese)
Yeno & Epoch Super Cassette Vision (http:/ / www. rhod. fr/ yeno_epoch. html)
http:/ / dempa. jp/ rgb/ heaven/ g_scv. html (in Japanese)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Epoch Cassette Vision.
Fairchild Channel F
78
Fairchild Channel F
Fairchild Channel F
The Fairchild Channel F
Manufacturer Fairchild Semiconductor
Retail availability November 1976
Units sold 250,000
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Fairchild F8
Controller input Joystick/Paddle
Keypad (Canceled)
The Fairchild Channel F is a game console released by Fairchild Semiconductor in November 1976 at the retail
price of $169.95 (equivalent to $700 in 2014). It has the distinction of being the first programmable ROM
cartridgebased video game console, and the first console to use a microprocessor. It was launched as the Video
Entertainment System, or VES, but when Atari released their VCS the next year, Fairchild renamed its machine.
By 1977, the Fairchild Channel F had sold 250,000 units and trailed behind the VCS.
The console
The Channel F electronics were designed by Jerry Lawson using the Fairchild F8 CPU, the first public outing of this
processor. The F8 was very complex compared to the typical integrated circuits of the day, and had more inputs and
outputs than other contemporary chips. Because chip packaging was not available with enough pins, the F8 was
instead fabricated as a pair of chips that had to be used together to form a complete CPU.
Lawson worked with Nick Talesfore and Ron Smith. As manager of Industrial Design, Talesfore was responsible for
the design of the hand controllers, console, and video game cartridges. Smith was responsible for the mechanical
engineering of the video cartridges and hand controllers. All worked for Wilf Corigan, head of Fairchild
Semiconductor, a division of Fairchild Camera & Instrument.
Fairchild Channel F
79
The palette of the Channel F
The graphics are quite basic by modern standards. The
Channel F is only able to use one plane of graphics and one of
four background colors per line, only three plot colors to
choose from (red, green and blue) that turned into white if the
background is set to black. A resolution of 128 64 with
approximately 102 58 pixels visible and help from only 64
bytes of system RAM, half the amount of the Atari 2600.
[1][2]
The F8 processor at the heart of the console is able to produce
enough AI to allow for player versus computer matches, a first
in console history. All previous machines required a human
opponent.
One feature unique to this console is the 'hold' button, which allowed the player to freeze the game, change the time
or change the speed of the game during the course of the game. In the original unit, sound is played through an
internal speaker, rather than the TV set. However, the System II passed sound to the television through the RF
modulator.
Controllers
The controllers are a joystick without a base; the main body is a large hand grip with a triangular "cap" on top, the
top being the portion that actually moved for eight-way directional control. It could be used as both a joystick and
paddle (twist), and not only pushed down to operate as a fire button but also pulled up. The model 1 unit contained a
small compartment for storing the controllers when moving it. The System II featured detachable controllers and had
two holders at the back to wind the cable around and to store the controller in. Zircon later offered a special control
which featured an action button on the front of the joystick. It was marketed by Zircon as "Channel F Jet-Stick" in a
letter sent out to registered owners before Christmas 1982.
[3]
They also released it as an Atari-compatible controller
called "Video Command", first released without the extra fire button. Before that, only the downwards plunge
motion was connected and acted as the fire button; the pull-up and twist actions weren't connected to anything.
Games
Twenty-seven cartridges, termed 'Videocarts', were officially released to consumers during the ownership of
Fairchild and Zircon, the first twenty-one of which were released by Fairchild. Several of these cartridges were
capable of playing more than one game and were typically priced at $19.95. The Videocarts were yellow and
approximately the size and overall texture of an 8 track cartridge. They usually featured colorful label artwork. The
earlier artwork was created by nationally known artist Tom Kamifuji and art directed by Nick
Talesfore.Wikipedia:Citation needed The console contained two built-in games, Tennis and Hockey, which were
both advanced Pong clones. In Hockey the reflecting bar could be changed to diagonals by twisting the controller,
and could move all over the playing field. Tennis was much like the original Pong.
A sales brochure from 1978 listed 'Keyboard Videocarts' for sale. The three shown were K-1 Casino Poker, K-2
Space Odyssey, and K-3 Pro-Football. These were intended to use the Keyboard accessory. All further brochures,
released after Zircon took over Fairchild, never listed this accessory nor anything called a Keyboard Videocart.
There was one additional cartridge released numbered Videocart-51 and simply titled 'Demo 1'. This Videocart was
shown in a single sales brochure released shortly after Zircon acquired the company. It was never listed for sale after
this single brochure which was used for winter of 1979.
Fairchild Channel F
80
List of games
Title Developer Publisher Year Genre Region
Democart Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Sports
Hockey (Integrated) Fairchild Fairchild 1976 Action
Tennis (Integrated) Fairchild Fairchild 1976 Action
Videocart-1: Tic Tac Toe, Shooting Gallery, Doodle, Quadradoodle Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Trivia
Videocart-2: Desert Fox, Shooting Gallery Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Action, Shooter
Videocart-3: Video Blackjack Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Gambling
Videocart-4: Spitfire Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Action, Shooter
Videocart-5: Space War Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Action, Shooter
Videocart-6: Math Quiz (Addition & Subtraction) Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Trivia
Videocart-7: Math Quiz (Multiplication & Division) Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Trivia
Videocart-8: Mind Reader, Nim (also referred to as Magic Numbers) Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Trivia
Videocart-9: Drag Strip Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Racing
Videocart-10: Maze, Cat and Mouse Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Platform, Action
Videocart-11: Backgammon, Acey-Deucey Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Trivia
Videocart-12: Baseball Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Sports
Videocart 13: Robot War/Torpedo Alley Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Platform, Action
Videocart-14: Sonar Search Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1977 Strategy
Videocart-15: Memory Match Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Puzzle
Videocart 16: Dodge-It Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1978 Platform, Action
Videocart-17: Pinball Challenge Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1978 Pinball
Videocart-18: Hangman Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1976 Puzzle
Videocart-19: Checkers Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1980 Trivia
Videocart-20: Video Whizball Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1981 Miscellaneous
Videocart-21: Bowling Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1978 Sports
Videocart-22: Slot Machine Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1980 Gambling
Videocart-23: Galactic Space Wars Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1980 Action, Shooter
Videocart-24: Pro-Football Fairchild Fairchild 12-31-1981 Sports
Videocart-25: Casino Poker Fairchild Zircon 12-31-1980 Gambling
Videocart-26: Alien Invasion Fairchild Zircon 12-31-1981 Action, Shooter
Homebrewed
Videocart-27: Pac-Man (Homebrew)
Carts listed (as mentioned above) but never released:
Keyboard Videocart-1: Casino Poker
Keyboard Videocart-2: Space Odyssey
Keyboard Videocart-3: Pro-Football
Official carts that also exist:
Democart 2
Fairchild Channel F
81
German SABA also released a few compatible carts different from the original carts, translation in Videocart 1
Tic-Tac-Toe to German words, Videocart 3 released with different abbreviations (German), Videocart 18 changed
graphics and German word list and the SABA 20 that's a Chess game released only by SABA.
Market impact
The biggest effect of the Channel F in the market was to spur Atari into improving and releasing their
next-generation console which was then in development. Then codenamed "Stella," the machine was also set to
utilize cartridges; after seeing the Channel F, Atari realized they needed to release it before the market was flooded
with cartridge-based machines. With cash flow dwindling as sales of their existing Pong-based systems dried up,
they were forced to sell to Warner Communications to gain the capital they needed. When the Atari VCS gaming
system (whose name was coined as a takeoff of the VES) was released a year later, it had considerably better
graphics and sound.
Reception
Ken Uston reviewed 32 games in his book Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games in
1982, and rated some of the Channel F's titles highly; of these, Alien Invasion and Video Whizball were considered
by Uston to be "the finest adult cartridges currently available for the Fairchild Channel F System."
[4]
The games on
the whole, however, rated last on his survey of over 200 games for the Atari, Intellivision, Astrocade and Odyssey
consoles, and contemporary games were rated "Average" with future Channel F games rated "below average".
[5]
Uston rated almost one half of the Channel F games as "high in interest" and called that "an impressive proportion"
and further noted that "Some of the Channel F cartridges are timeless; no matter what technological developments
occur, they will continue to be of interest." His overall conclusion was that the games "serve a limited, but useful,
purpose" and that the "strength of the Channel F offering is in its excellent educational line for children."
[6]
In 1983, after Zircon announced its discontinuation of the Channel F, Video Games reviewed the console. Calling it
"the system nobody knows", the magazine described its graphics and sounds as "somewhat primitive by today's
standards". It described Space War as perhaps "the most antiquated game of its type still on the market", and rated
the 25 games for the console with an average grade of three ("not too good") on a scale from one to ten. The
magazine stated, however, that Fairchild "managed to create some fascinating games, even by today's standards",
calling Casino Royale (Video Blackjack) "the best card game, from blackjack to bridge, made for any TV-game
system". It also favorably reviewed Dodge-It ("simple but great"), Robot War ("Berzerk without guns"), and
Whizball ("thoroughly original ... hockey with guns"), but concluded that only those interested in nostalgia, video
game collecting, or card games would purchase the Channel F in 1983.
PCB Scan of the Grandstand Video
Entertainment Computer (UK Channel F II
variant).
Original Channel F technical specifications:
CPU chip: Fairchild F8 operating at 1.79 MHz (PAL gen. 1:
2.00MHz, PAL gen.2: 1.77MHz)
RAM: 64 bytes, 2 kB VRAM (212864 bits)
Resolution: 128 64 pixels, approximately 102 58 pixels visible
depending on TV
Colors: eight colors (either black/white or four color max. per line)
Audio: 120Hz, 500Hz and 1kHz beeps (can be modulated to
produce different tones)
Fairchild Channel F
82
Input: two custom game controllers, hardwired to the console (original release) or removable (Channel F System
II)
Output: RF modulated composite video signal, cord hardwired to console
The Channel F System II
The Channel F System II
Some time in 1979, Zircon International bought the
rights to the Channel F and released the re-designed
console as the Channel F System II to compete with
the Atari's VCS. This re-designed System II was
completed by Nick Talesfore at Fairchild. He was the
same industrial designer who designed the original
game console. Only six new games were released after
the debut of the second system before its death, several
of which were developed at Fairchild before they sold
it off.
The major changes were in design, with the controllers
removable from the base unit instead of being wired directly into it, the storage compartment was moved to the rear
of the unit, and the sound was now mixed into the TV signal so the unit no longer needed a speaker. This version
also featured a simpler and more modern-looking case design. However, by this time the market was in the midst of
the first video game crash, and Fairchild eventually threw in the towel and left the market. A number of licensed
versions were released in Europe, including the Luxor Video Entertainment System in Scandinavia (Sweden),
Adman Grandstand in the UK, and the Saba Videoplay, Nordmende Teleplay and ITT Tele-Match Processor,
from Germany and also Dumont Videoplay and Barco Challenger from the Barco/Dumont company in Italy and
Belgium.
Homebrew
Like many other discontinued consoles, the Channel F lives on through homebrew. For example, a 2009 version of
Pac-Man was developed and distributed for the Channel F.
[7]
References
[1] http:/ / classicdev. org/ images/ thumb/ 3/ 31/ FVE100_schematic_sheet_1of3. gif/ 1280px-FVE100_schematic_sheet_1of3. gif
[2] http:/ / classicdev. org/ images/ thumb/ 5/ 55/ FVE100_schematic_sheet_2of3. png/ 1280px-FVE100_schematic_sheet_2of3. png
[3] http:/ / fndcollectables. com/ CHANNEL_F_INFO/ U_S_/ Adds___Offers/ LETTERS/ x82fr1f. jpg
[4] Uston, Ken. Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games (Signet, 1982) p.605
[5] Uston, Ken. Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games (Signet, 1982) p.20.
[6] Uston, Ken. Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games (Signet, 1982) p.603 and p.23.
[7] http:/ / www. consolecity. com/ games/ action-game_info/ game_id-29406. html
Fairchild Channel F
83
External links
The Dot Eaters article (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=channel-f) with a history of the Channel F and games
Interview with designer Jerry Lawson (http:/ / www. vintagecomputing. com/ index. php/ archives/ 545)
MobyGames list (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ browse/ games/ channel-f/ ) of Channel F games
Channel F Gallery (http:/ / channelf. se/ gallery/ ) of labels, instructions, boxes
Patent (http:/ / www. google. com/ patents/ US4095791)
Intellivision
84
Intellivision
Intellivision
Manufacturer Mattel
Retail availability 1979 (US test market)
1980 (North America)
1982 (Europe, Japan)
Discontinued January 1984
Units sold 3 million
Media ROM cartridge
CPU GI CP1610
Online services PlayCable
Best-selling game Major League Baseball (1 million)
Successor HyperScan
The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978,
less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau
of "intelligent television". Over 3 million Intellivision units were sold and a total of 125 games were released for the
console.
In 2009, video game website IGN named the Intellivision the No. 14 greatest video game console of all time.
[1]
It
remained Mattel's only video game console until the release of the HyperScan in 2006.
History and development
The Intellivision was developed by Mattel Electronics, a subsidiary of Mattel formed expressly for the development
of electronic games. The console was test marketed in Fresno, California, in 1979 with a total of four games
available,
[2]
and was released nationwide in 1980 with a price tag of US$299 and a pack-in game: Las Vegas Poker
& Blackjack. Though not the first system to challenge Atari, it was the first to pose a serious threat to Atari's
dominance. A series of advertisements featuring George Plimpton were produced that demonstrated the superiority
of the Intellivision's graphics and sound to those of the Atari 2600, using side-by-side game comparisons.
Intellivision
85
One of the slogans of the television advertisements stated that Intellivision was "the closest thing to the real thing";
one example in an advertisement compared golf games. The other console's games had a blip sound and cruder
graphics, while the Intellivision featured a realistic swing sound and striking of the ball, and graphics that suggested
a more 3D look. There was also an advertisement comparing the Atari 2600 to it, featuring the slogan "I didn't
know".
Super Video Arcade
Like Atari, Mattel marketed their console to a number
of retailers as a rebadged unit. These models include
the Radio Shack TandyVision, the GTE-Sylvania
Intellivision, and the Sears Super Video Arcade. The
Sears model was a specific coup for Mattel, as Sears
was already selling a rebadged Atari 2600 unit, and in
doing so made a big contribution to Atari's success.
In its first year, Mattel sold 175,000 Intellivision
consoles, and the library grew to 35 games. At this
time, all Intellivision games were developed by an
outside firm, APh Technological Consulting. The
company recognized that what had been seen as a
secondary product line might be a big business.
Realizing that potential profits are much greater with
first party software, Mattel formed its own in-house software development group.
The original five members of that Intellivision team were manager Gabriel Baum, Don Daglow, Rick Levine, Mike
Minkoff and John Sohl. Levine and Minkoff, a long-time Mattel Toys veteran, both came over from the hand-held
Mattel games engineering team. To keep these programmers from being hired away by rival Atari, their identity and
work location was kept a closely guarded secret. In public, the programmers were referred to collectively as the Blue
Sky Rangers.
By 1982, sales were soaring. Over two million Intellivision consoles had been sold by the end of the year, earning
Mattel a $100,000,000 profitWikipedia:Citation needed. Third-party Atari developers Activision, and Imagic began
releasing games for the Intellivision, as did hardware rival Coleco. Mattel created M Network branded games for
Atari and Coleco's systems. The most popular titles sold over a million units each. The Intellivision was also
introduced in Japan by Bandai in 1982.
The original 5-person Mattel game development team had grown to 110 people under now-Vice President Baum,
while Daglow led Intellivision development and top engineer Minkoff directed all work on all other platforms.
Keyboard Component
Intellivision's packaging and promotional materials, as well as television commercials, promised that with the
addition of a soon-to-be-available accessory called the "Keyboard Component", originally portrayed in TV ads as a
larger box with an opening in the top that the Intellivision fit into. This would turn the Intellivision into a fully
functional home computer system.
The unit would bring the system's available RAM up to a full 64kB, a large amount for the time, and would have
provided both a built-in cassette drive for data storage and a connection for an optional 40-column thermal printer.
The cassette drive would be able to provide both data storage and an audio track simultaneously, allowing for
interactive audio recording and playback under computer control, and a secondary 6502 microprocessor inside the
Keyboard Component would be programmed to handle all of these extra capabilities independently of the
Intellivision's CP1610 CPU. The unit would even provide an extra cartridge slot, allowing the original Intellivision
to remain permanently docked with the Keyboard Component while still being able to play standard game cartridges.
Intellivision
86
Unfortunately, while the Keyboard Component was an ambitious piece of engineering for its time, it suffered from
reliability problems and proved to be expensive to produce. Originally slated to be available in 1981, the Keyboard
Component was repeatedly delayed as the engineers tried to find ways to overcome the reliability issues and reduce
manufacturing costs.
The Keyboard Component's repeated delays became so notorious around Mattel headquarters that comedian Jay
Leno, when performing at Mattel's 1981 Christmas party, got his biggest titter of the evening with the line: "You
know what the three big lies are, don't you? 'The check is in the mail,' 'I'll still respect you in the morning,' and 'The
Keyboard will be out in spring.'"
Complaints from consumers who had chosen to buy the Intellivision specifically on the promise of a "Coming
Soon!" personal-computer upgrade that seemed as if it would never materialize eventually caught the attention of the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who started investigating Mattel Electronics for fraud and false advertising.
Mattel said that the Keyboard Component was a real product still being test-marketed and even released a small
number of Keyboard Components to a handful of retail stores, along with a handful of software titles in order to
support this claim. The FTC eventually ordered Mattel to pay a $10,000/day fine until the promised computer
upgrade was in full retail distribution. To protect themselves from the ongoing fines, the Keyboard Component was
officially canceled in the fall of 1982 and the Entertainment Computer System (ECS) module offered up in its place.
While approximately four thousand Keyboard Components were manufactured before the module was canceled and
recalled, it is not clear how many of them actually found their way into the hands of Intellivision customers. Today,
very few of them still exist; when the Keyboard Component was officially canceled, part of Mattel's settlement with
the FTC involved offering to buy back all of the existing Keyboard Components from dissatisfied customers. Any
customer who opted to keep theirs was required to sign a waiver indicating their understanding that no more
software would be written for the system and which absolved Intellivision of any future responsibility for technical
support. Several of the units were later used by Mattel Electronics engineers when it was discovered that, with a few
minor modifications, a Keyboard Component could be used as an Intellivision software-development system in place
of the original hand-built development boards.
The Keyboard Component debacle was ranked as #11 on GameSpy's 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming.
Entertainment Computer System (ECS)
Main article: Entertainment Computer System
In mid-1981, Mattel's upper management was becoming concerned that the Keyboard Component division would
never be able to produce a sellable product. As a result, Mattel Electronics set up a competing internal engineering
team whose stated mission was to produce an inexpensive add-on called the BASIC Development System, or BDS,
to be sold as an educational device to introduce kids to the concepts of computer programming.
The rival BDS engineering group, who had to keep the project's real purpose a secret among themselves, fearing that
if David Chandler, the head of the Keyboard Component team, found out about it he would use his influence to get
the project killed, eventually came up with a much less expensive alternative. Originally dubbed the Lucky, from
LUCKI: Low User-Cost Keyboard Interface, it lacked many of the sophisticated features envisioned for the original
Keyboard Component. Gone, for example, was the full 64kB of RAM and the secondary 6502 CPU; instead, the
ECS offered a mere 2kB RAM expansion, a built-in BASIC that was marginally functional, plus a much-simplified
cassette and thermal-printer interface.
Ultimately, this fulfilled the original promises of turning the Intellivision into a computer, making it possible to write
programs and store them to tape, and interfacing with a printer well enough to allow Mattel to claim that they had
delivered the promised computer upgrade and stop the FTC's mounting fines. It even offered, via an additional
AY-3-8910 sound chip inside the ECS module and an optional 49-key Music Synthesizer keyboard, the possibility of
turning the Intellivision into a multi-voice synthesizer which could be used to play or learn music.
Intellivision
87
In the fall of 1982, the LUCKI, now renamed the Entertainment Computer System (ECS), was presented at the
annual sales meeting, officially ending the ill-fated Keyboard Component project. A new advertising campaign was
aired in time for the 1982 Christmas season, and the ECS itself was shown to the public at the January 1983
Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center. A few months later, the ECS
hit the market, and the FTC agreed to drop the $10K/day fines.
Unfortunately, by the time the ECS made its retail debut, an internal shake-up at the top levels of Mattel Electronics'
management had caused the company's focus to shift away from hardware add-ons in favor of software, and the ECS
received very little further marketing push. Further hardware developments, including a planned Program
Expander that would have added another 16K of RAM and a more intricate, fully featured Extended-BASIC to the
system, were halted, and in the end less than a dozen software titles were released for the ECS.
Intellivoice
The Intellivoice add-on
In 1982, Mattel introduced a new peripheral for the Intellivision: The
Intellivoice, a voice synthesis device which produces speech when
used with certain games. The Intellivoice was original in two respects:
not only was this capability unique to the Intellivision system at the
time (although a similar device was available for the Odyssey), but the
speech-supporting games written for Intellivoice actually made the
speech an integral part of the gameplay.
Unfortunately, the amount of speech that could be compressed into a
4K or 8K ROM cartridge was limited, and the system did not sell as
well as Mattel had hoped; while the initial orders were as high as
300,000 units for the Intellivoice module and its initial game-cartridge offerings, interest in future titles dropped
rapidly until the fourth and last Intellivoice title, Tron: Solar Sailer, sold a mere 90,000 units. A fifth game, a
children's title called Magic Carousel, was shelved, and in August 1983 the Intellivoice system was quietly phased
out.
The four titles available for the Intellivoice system, in order of their release, were:
Space Spartans
Bomb Squad
B-17 Bomber
Tron: Solar Sailer
A fifth title, Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, developed as part of the Entertainment Computer
System series, also supports the Intellivoice if both the ECS and Intellivoice are connected concurrently. Unlike the
Intellivoice-specific games, however, World Series Major League Baseball is also playable without the Intellivoice
module (but not without the ECS.)
A further homebrew title, Space Hunt, also uses the male Intellivoice sounds (especially on its main title screen).
This game is a spin-off clone of Astrosmash, which uses graphics loaned from Utopia and the TRON game
series.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Intellivision
88
Intellivision II
The Intellivision II redesign was much smaller and cheaper to
manufacture than the original.
In addition to the ECS module, 1982 also saw the
introduction of a redesigned model, called the
Intellivision II (featuring detachable controllers and
sleeker case), the System Changer (which played Atari
2600 games on the Intellivision II), and a music
keyboard add-on for the ECS.
Like the ECS, Intellivision II was designed first and
foremost to be inexpensive to manufacture. Among
other things, the raised bubble keypad of the original
hand controller was replaced by a flat membrane
keyboard surface. However, because many Intellivision
games had been designed for users to play by feeling
the buttons without looking down, some of these games
were far less playable on Intellivision II.
Instead of an internal power supply like the original system had, the Intellivision II would use an external AC
adapter. Its main drawback, however, was that it was a non-standard power supply running on 16.2V meant
that if the AC adapter was lost or damaged, the system could be rendered useless, as replacement power supplies for
that particular voltage requirement were not readily available. It is unknown whether Intellivision II AC adapters
were sold separately.
Mattel also changed the Intellivision II's internal ROM program (called the EXEC) in an attempt to lock out
unlicensed 3rd party titles. To make room for the lock-out code while retaining compatibility with existing titles,
some portions of the EXEC code were moved in a way that changed their timing. While most games were
unaffected, a couple of the more popular titles, Shark! Shark!, and Space Spartans, had certain sound effects that the
Intellivision II reproduced differently than intended, although the games remained playable. Electric Company Word
Fun did not run at all and INTV's later release Super Pro Football has minor display glitches at the start, both due to
the modified EXEC.
[3]
Mattel's attempt to lock out competitors' software titles was only temporarily successful, as
the 3rd-party game manufacturers quickly figured out how to get around it.
Competition and market crash
INTV Corp produced their own Intellivision, the INTV System III,
after buying the rights from Mattel following the market crash.
See also: North American video game crash of
1983
Amid the flurry of new hardware, there was trouble for
the Intellivision. New game systems (ColecoVision,
Emerson Arcadia 2001, Atari 5200, and Vectrex, all in
1982) were further subdividing the market, and the
video game crash began to put pressure on the entire
industry. The Intellivision team rushed to finish a major
new round of games, including BurgerTime and the
ultra-secret 3D glasses game Hover Force. Although
BurgerTime was a popular game on the Intellivision and was programmed by Blue Sky Ranger Ray Kaestner in
record time, the five-month manufacturing cycle meant that the game did not appear until the late spring of 1983,
after the video game crash had severely damaged game sales.
In the spring of 1983, Mattel went from aggressively hiring game programmers to laying them off within a two-week
period.Wikipedia:Citation needed By August, there were massive layoffs, and the price of the Intellivision II (which
Intellivision
89
launched at $150 earlier that year) was lowered to $69. Mattel Electronics posted a $300 million loss. Early in 1984,
the division was closed the first high-profile victim of the crash.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Intellivision game sales continued when a liquidator purchased all rights to the Intellivision and its software from
Mattel, as well as all remaining inventory. After much of the existing software inventory had been sold, former
Mattel Marketing executive Terry Valeski bought all rights to Intellivision and started a new venture. The new
company, INTV Corp., continued to sell old stock via retail and mail order. When the old stock of Intellivision II
consoles ran out, they introduced a new console dubbed INTV System III. This unit was actually a cosmetic rebadge
of the original Intellivision console (this unit was later renamed the Super Pro System.) In addition to manufacturing
new consoles, INTV Corp. also continued to develop new games, releasing a few new titles each year. Eventually,
the system was discontinued in 1991.
Rereleases
Intellivision games became readily available again when Keith Robinson, an early Intellivision programmer
responsible for the game TRON: Solar Sailer, purchased the software rights and founded a new company,
Intellivision Productions.
[4]
As a result, games originally designed for the Intellivision are available on PCs and
modern-day consoles including the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube in the Intellivision Lives!
package, though all are now out of print at retail. However, the Xbox version is available for purchase as a
downloadable game through Xbox Live Game Marketplace's Xbox Originals service for the Xbox 360. VH1 Classic
and MTV Networks released 6 Intellivision games to iOS. A few licensed Intellivision games are available through
the GameTap subscription gaming service. Also, several LCD handheld and direct-to-TV games have been released
in recent years.
On March 24, 2010, Microsoft launched the Game Room service for Xbox Live and Games for Windows Live. This
service includes support for Intellivision titles and allows players to compete against one another for high scores via
online leaderboards. At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft announced a version of Game Room for
Windows Phone, promising a catalog of 44 Intellivision titles.
A newer version of the Intellivision Lives! game is in development for the Nintendo DS.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Mattel released the Intellivision Flashback Classic Console, a miniature sized Intellivison console with two original
sized controllers. It comes with 60 Intellivision games built into ROM.
Reviews and game guides
Ken Uston published Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games in 1982 as a guide to
potential buyers of console systems/cartridges, as well as a brief strategy guide to numerous cartridge games then in
existence. He described Intellivision as "the most mechanically reliable of the systems The controller (used during
"many hours of experimentation") worked with perfect consistency. The unit never had overheating problems, nor
were loose wires or other connections encountered." However, Uston rated the controls and control system as "below
average" and the worst of the consoles he tested (including Atari 2600, Magnavox Odyssey, Astrovision, and
Fairchild Channel F).
[5]
Jeff Rovin lists Intellivision as one of the seven major suppliers of videogames in 1982, and mentions it as "the
unchallenged king of graphics", however stating that the controllers can be "difficult to operate", the fact that if a
controller breaks the entire unit must be shipped off for repairs (since they did not detach at first), and that the
overlays "are sometimes so stubborn as to tempt one's patience" .
[6]
Intellivision
90
Innovations
Intellivision can be considered the first 16-bit game console, as it has a 16-bit microprocessor.
The Intellivision was also the first system to feature downloadable games. However, since there was no storage
device the games vanished once the machine was turned off. In 1981, General Instrument teamed up with Mattel
to roll out the PlayCable, a device that allowed the downloading of Intellivision games via cable TV.
Intellivision was the first game console to provide real-time human and robot voices in the middle of gameplay,
courtesy of the IntelliVoice module. The voice chip used, the SPO256 Orator, was developed jointly by Mattel
and General Instrument.
[7]
Intellivision was the first console to feature a controller with a directional pad that allowed 16 directions. The
disc-shaped pad allowed players to control action without lifting the thumb and was considered by many
Intellivision users to be a useful innovation.Wikipedia:Citation needed However, the ergonomics of the "action"
buttons on the side of the controller were poor, and the disc-pad was perceived by potential buyers as unfamiliar.
Along with cost, this was one of the factors in making the Intellivision less popular than the Atari
2600.Wikipedia:Citation needed
A third-party joystick attachment was available by around 1984; it was installed by opening the controller and
fitting the paddle over the disc. A flange around the hollow plastic conical joystick held it in securely when the
controller's upper cover was replaced; and a much easier joystick control was the result. The Joystick was
about three inches (7.5cm) in height; it could not be gripped by the entire hand.
The Intellivision was also the first game console or home computer to offer a musical synthesizer keyboard. The
Music Synthesizer keyboard was designed as a secondary add-on for the ECS, and was intended to lead to a series
of music-oriented software titles for both educational and entertainment purposes, but only one title, Melody
Blaster, was ever released.
Intellivision was also the first console to have a complete built-in character font. While Odyssey had a limited
character font (uppercase alphabet, numerals, and some other characters), Intellivision's system font had complete
upper- and lowercase alphabets, numerals, and almost all of the punctuation and symbols found on standard
computer keyboards. As well as a button dedicated to pause without using the console.
The original Intellivision controller with no overlay
inserted.
General Instrument CP1610 16-bit microprocessor CPU
running at 894.886kHz (i.e., slightly less than 1MHz)
1456bytes of RAM:
240 8-bit Scratchpad Memory
352 16-bit (704 bytes) System Memory
512 8-bit Graphics RAM
7168 bytes of ROM:
4096 10-bit (5120 bytes) Executive ROM
2048 8-bit Graphics ROM
159 pixels wide by 96 pixels high (159x192 display on a TV
screen, scanlines being doubled)
16 color palette, all of which can be on the screen at once
8 sprites. Hardware supports the following features per-sprite:
Size selection: 88 or 816
Stretching: Horizontal (1 or 2) and vertical (1, 2, 4 or 8)
Mirroring: Horizontal and vertical
Intellivision
91
Collision detection: Sprite to sprite, sprite to background, and sprite to screen border
Priority: Selects whether sprite appears in front of or behind background.
three channel sound, with one noise generator (audio chip: General Instrument AY-3-8910)
Game controller
The Intellivision controller featured:
12-button numeric keypad (0-9, Clear, and Enter)
Four side-located action buttons (where the top two are actually electronically the same, giving three distinct
buttons)
A directional disk, capable of detecting 16 directions of movement
Laminated overlays that would slide into place as an extra layer on the keypad to show game-specific key
functions
The controller was ranked the fourth worst video game controller by IGN editor Craig Harris.
References
[1] Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time: Intellivision is number 14 (http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-25-consoles/ 14. html), IGN. Retrieved
November 2, 2011.
[2] Barton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill (May 2008). A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ view/
feature/ 3653/ a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php), Gamasutra.
[3] Intellivision Lives website: Intellivision II (http:/ / www. intellivisionlives. com/ bluesky/ hardware/ intelli2_tech. html)
[4] TRON: Solar Sailer (http:/ / www.intellivisionlives.com/ bluesky/ games/ credits/ voice2. html#solar_sailer) from IntellivisionLives.com
[5] Uston, Ken. Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games (Signet, 1982), p. 8.
[6] "The Complete Guide to Conquering Video Games" by Jeff Rovin, Collier Books, 1982.
[7] Intellivision Lives website: Intellivoice description (http:/ / www. intellivisionlives. com/ bluesky/ hardware/ voice_tech. html)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Intellivision.
Intellivision retrogaming company homepage (http:/ / www. intellivisionlives. com/ ), run by Keith Robinson and
The Blue Sky Rangers (the Intellivision game programmers)
Gamasutra - A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ view/ feature/
3653/ a_history_of_gaming_platforms_. php), by Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton
Intellivision (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Intellivision) at DMOZ
The history of the Intellivision (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=intellivision), at The Dot Eaters
Leisure Vision
92
Leisure Vision
Leisure Vision is a game console released in Canada in 1982 by the now defunct Leisure Dynamics company.
Magnavox Odyssey
"Odyssey 2" redirects here. For the science fiction novel, see 2010: Odyssey Two.
Magnavox Odyssey
The Magnavox Odyssey and its two hard-wired controllers.
Manufacturer Magnavox/Philips
Retail availability July 1978
December 1978
September 1982
Discontinued March 20, 1984
Units sold 2 Million.
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Intel 8048
The Magnavox Odyssey, known in Europe as the Videopac, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States
as the Magnavox Odyssey and the Philips Odyssey, and also by many other names, is a video game console
released in 1978.
In the early 1970s, Magnavox was an innovator in the home video game industry. They succeeded in bringing the
first home video game system to market, the Odyssey, which was quickly followed by a number of later models,
each with a few technological improvements (Magnavox Odyssey Series). In 1978, Magnavox, now a subsidiary of
North American Philips, released the Odyssey, its new second-generation video game console.
In 2009, the video game website IGN named the Odyssey the 21st greatest video game console, out of its list of 25.
Magnavox Odyssey
93
Design
The Videopac G7200, unlike Videopac G7000,
had a 9" (23 cm) black & white display built in.
The original Odyssey had a number of removable circuit cards that
switched between the built-in games. With the Odyssey, each game
could be a completely unique experience, with its own background
graphics, foreground graphics, gameplay, scoring, and music. The
potential was enormous, as an unlimited number of games could be
individually purchased; a game player could purchase a library of
video games tailored to his or her own interest. Unlike any other
system at that time, the Odyssey included a full alphanumeric
membrane keyboard, which was to be used for educational games,
selecting options, or programming (Magnavox released a cartridge
called Computer Intro! with the intent of teaching simple computer
programming).
The Odyssey used the standard joystick design of the 1970s and early 1980s: the original console had a
moderately-sized silver controller, held in one hand, with a square housing for its eight-direction stick that was
manipulated with the other hand. Later releases had a similar black controller, with an 8-pointed star-shaped housing
for its eight-direction joystick. In the upper corner of the joystick was a single 'Action' button, silver on the original
controllers and red on the black controllers. The games, graphics and packaging were designed by Ron Bradford and
Steve Lehner.
[1]
One other difference in these controllers is that the earliest releases of the silver joystick were removable. They could
be plugged and unplugged from the back of the unit, while all later silver and all black controllers were hardwired
into the rear of the unit itself (although the joysticks still can be easily replaced, but not without dismounting the
cover deck).
One of the strongest points of the system was its speech synthesis unit, which was released as an add-on for speech,
music, and sound effects enhancement. The area that the Odyssey may be best remembered for was its pioneering
fusion of board and video games: The Master Strategy Series. The first game released was Quest for the Rings!, with
gameplay somewhat similar to Dungeons & Dragons, and a storyline reminiscent of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of
the Rings. Later, two other games were released in this series, Conquest of the World and The Great Wall Street
Fortune Hunt, each with its own gameboard.
Its graphics and few color choices, compared to its biggest competitors at the timethe Atari 2600, Mattel's
Intellivision and the Bally Astrocadewere its "weakest point". However, the game characters would often have
"added personality" programmed onto them.
[2]
Of these systems, the Odyssey was listed by Jeff Rovin as being the
third in total of sales, and one of the seven major video game suppliers.
Market life
United States
The Odyssey sold moderately well in the US. Even without third-party developers, by 1983 over one million
Odyssey units were sold in the US alone. The lack of third-party support kept the number of new games very
limited, but the success of the Philips Videopac G7000 overseas led to two other companies producing games for it:
Parker Brothers released Popeye, Frogger, Q* Bert and Super Cobra, while Imagic released versions of their hit
games Demon Attack and Atlantis. Finally, in 1983 the two Imagic games were brought to the US.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
To sell would-be customers on its technical abilities as a computer-based console, the Odyssey was marketed with
phrases such as "The Ultimate Computer Video Game System", "Sync-Sound Action", "True-Reality
Magnavox Odyssey
94
Synthesization", "On-Screen Digital Readouts" and "a serious educational tool" on the packaging for the console and
its game cartridges. All games produced by Magnavox/Philips ended with an exclamation point, such as K.C.
Munchkin! and Killer Bees!.
Europe
European models had no power button, and black
action buttons
In Europe, the Odyssey did very well on the market. In Europe, the
console was most widely known as the Philips Videopac G7000, or
just the Videopac, although branded variants were released in some
areas of Europe under the names Philips Videopac C52, Radiola Jet
25, Schneider 7000, and Siera G7000. Philips, as Magnavox's Dutch
parent company, used their own name rather than Magnavox's for
European marketing. A rare model, the Philips Videopac G7200, was
only released in Europe; it had a built-in black-and-white monitor.
Videopac game cartridges are mostly compatible with American
Odyssey units, although some games have color differences and a few
are completely incompatible. A number of additional games were
released in Europe that never came out in the US.
Brazil
In Brazil, the console was released as the Philips Odyssey; the Magnavox Odyssey was released in Brazil by a
company named "Planil Comrcio", not affiliated to Philips or Magnavox. Since just a few units were sold, the
Brazilian branch of Philips released in 1983 Odyssey without its number. Odyssey became much more popular in
Brazil than it ever was in the US; tournaments were even held for popular games like K.C.'s Krazy Chase!
(Come-Come in Brazil). Titles of games were translated into Portuguese, sometimes creating a new story, like
Pick-axe Pete, that became Didi na Mina Encantada (Didi in the Enchanted Mine) referring to the Renato Arago's
comedy character, and was one of the most famous Odyssey games in Brazil.
Japan
The Odyssey was released in Japan in December 1982 by Kton Trading Toitarii Enterprise (
, a division of DINGU company) under
the name (odessei2). "Japanese" versions of the Odyssey and its games consisted of the
American boxes with katakana stickers on them and cheaply printed black-and-white Japanese manuals. The initial
price for the console was 49,800, which is approximately 500 US dollars. It was apparently not very successful;
Japanese Odyssey items are now very difficult to find.
Magnavox Odyssey
95
CPU
Intel 8048 8-bit microcontroller running at 1.79 MHz
Memory:
CPU-internal RAM: 64 bytes
Audio/video RAM: 128 bytes
BIOS ROM: 1024 bytes
Video:
Intel 8244 (NTSC) or 8245 (PAL) custom IC
160200 resolution (NTSC)
16-color fixed palette; sprites may only use 8 of these colors
4 88 single-color user-defined sprites; each sprite's color may be set independently
12 88 single-color characters; must be one of the 64 shapes built into the ROM BIOS; can be freely
positioned like sprites, but cannot overlap each other; each character's color may be set independently
4 quad characters; groups of four characters displayed in a row
98 background grid; dots, lines, or solid blocks
Audio:
Intel 8244/8245 custom IC
mono
24-bit shift register, clockable at 2 frequencies
noise generator
NOTE: There is only one 8244/8245 chip in the system, which performs both audio and video functions.
Input:
Two 8-way, one-button, digital joysticks. In the first production runs of the Magnavox Odyssey and the Philips
7000, these were permanently attached to the console; in later models, they were removable and replaceable.
QWERTY-layout membrane keyboard
Output:
RF Audio/Video connector
Pritel/SCART connector (France only Videopac C52)
Media:
ROM cartridges, typically 2 KB, 4 KB, or 8 KB in size.
Videopac with chess module
Expansion modules:
The Voice : provides speech synthesis & enhanced sound effects
Chess Module : the Odyssey2 didn't have enough memory and
computing power for a decent implementation of chess on its
own, so the C7010 chess module contained a secondary CPU
with its own extra memory to run the chess program
Videopac+/Jopac-compatible only, Microsoft Basic. (The rare
C7420 Home Computer Module, made available in 1983 by Philips, was a costly extension for the newer Videopac+ and Jopac consoles
only. It went with a thick A4 manual, and required an optional external tape recorder to save the programs. This module was the sole
valuable justification of the presence of a so-called keyboard, which was supposedly designed to look like an hybrid educational toy, as
read in header lines describing earlier this family of pluri-purpose consoles, even in the TV commercials that echoed the slogan written on
these brand-new machines : Video Computer. Unfortunately, this late niche concept, even limited to learning game code contrary to the
more professional packaging, could not resist at all the already overwhelming market of the real 8-bit home computers. Not to be confused
with the cheap cartridge #9 : Computer Intro!)
Magnavox Odyssey
96
Emulation
An open source console emulator for the Odyssey called O2EM is available. It includes Philips Videopac G7400
emulation among other features. The emulator works on Linux, Microsoft Windows, DOS and other platforms.
O2EM, (originally not open source) was created in 1997 by computer programmer Daniel Boris and further
enhanced by Andre Rodrigues de La Rocha.
The open source multi-platform multi-system emulator MESS has Odyssey support, and is the only emulator to
emulate The Voice expansion module without using sound samples.
References
[1] Electronic Game Wizards (http:/ / odyssey2.classicgaming. gamespy. com/ articles/ bradford/ article. php)
[2] "The Complete Guide to Conquering Video Games" by Jeff Rovin, Collier Books, 1982
External links
Ed Averett (http:/ / www. dadgum. com/ halcyon/ BOOK/ AVERETT. HTM) - Programmer of 24 game titles for
the Odyssey.
The Odyssey2 Homepage! (http:/ / www. the-nextlevel. com/ odyssey2/ ) - William Cassidy's Odyssey site.
Dan Boris's Odyssey 2 Tech Page (http:/ / www. atarihq. com/ danb/ o2. shtml) - technical documents on the
Odyssey's hardware by the author of O2EM
The Dot Eaters article (http:/ / thedoteaters. com/ ?bitstory=odyssey) on the history of the Odyssey
Inside the Magnavox Odyssey (http:/ / www. hardwaresecrets. com/ article/ Inside-the-Magnavox-Odyssey2/
1541)
My Vision
97
My Vision
My Vision was a video game console released in Japan by Nichibutsu in 1983. The system was dedicated solely to
playing video versions of popular board games. The console had no controllers; instead, players used a keyboard on
the front of the console to input their actions.
References
Ultamate Console Database. My Vision
[1]
, retrieved Feb 2, 2007
References
[1] http:/ / ultimateconsoledatabase. com/ classics/ my_vision. htm
PlayCable
98
PlayCable
PlayCable
Developer Mattel, General Instrument
Type Online service
Launch date 1981
Platform Intellivision
Status Defunct
PlayCable was an online service introduced in 1981 that allowed local cable television system operators to send
games for the Intellivision over cable wires alongside normal television signals. Through the service, subscribers
would use a device, called the PlayCable adapter, to download the games for play on their Intellivision. It was the
first service that allowed users to download games for play on a video game console. PlayCable was not widely
adopted, due in part to high costs for users and operators, as well as limitations of the PlayCable adapter. The service
was discontinued in 1983.
History
PlayCable was developed as a joint venture between Mattel and General Instrument. The PlayCable service was deep
in development even before the Intellivision was widely released. In 1979, tests of the service were announced for
several cities, including Moline, Illinois, Jackson, Mississippi and Boise, Idaho. The service was officially launched
in 1981. Subscriptions were available for a monthly fee, allowing users access to a selection of games through cable
television providers that supported the service. Up to 20 titles were available each month. Former professional
baseball player Mickey Mantle appeared in commercials for the service. Initial estimates by Mattel projected that the
service would have 1 million subscribers within five years. However, by 1983 PlayCable only had a small fraction of
that amount; fewer than 3 percent of the 650,000 households capable of receiving the service had subscribed.
Meanwhile, cable operators complained about the high cost of the computer needed to run the service and the
expensive PlayCable Adapters. In addition, Mattel Electronics was losing millions of dollars due to a glut of titles
and increased competition. All these factors, combined with the limitations of the PlayCable adapter resulted in
PlayCable shutting down in 1983.
Implementation and limitations
The PlayCable channel was broadcast through a special data channel within the FM Band of the cable line. Special
PlayCable adapters would be connected to the cable line. Users would tune to the PlayCable channel, which showed
a menu of titles that could be played and used a keypad to select the desired game. The adapter would wait for the
code of the selected title to show up in the data stream, then download the game to the adapter's internal memory for
play.
However, in time the 4K of memory inside PlayCable Adapters proved to be inadequate. While this amount of
memory was sufficient for most Intellivision game titles in 1981, soon more complex games were released on larger
capacity cartridges, which the PlayCable could not support.
PlayCable
99
References
External links
PlayCable (http:/ / www. intvfunhouse. com/ hardware/ playcable) on INTV Funhouse
PlayCable (http:/ / www. intellivisiongames. com/ bluesky/ hardware/ playcable_tech. html) at
Intellivisiongames.com
RCA Studio II
100
RCA Studio II
RCA Studio II
Manufacturer RCA
Discontinued 1979
Media ROM cartridge
CPU RCA 1802 microprocessor, 1.78MHz
Controller input Ten button keypads
The RCA Studio II is a video game console made by RCA that debuted in January 1977. The graphics of Studio II
games were black and white and resembled those of earlier Pong consoles and their clones. The Studio II also did not
have joysticks or similar game controllers but instead used two ten button keypads that were built into the console
itself. The console was capable of making simple beep sounds with slight variations in tone and length.
One distinct feature of the Studio II was its five built-in games. Another was its use of a switchbox that relayed both
the modulated RF signal of the console's video to the television set while powering the console with DC power. This
type of switchbox would not be seen again until the Atari 5200.
The Studio II was not a successful product; the previously released Fairchild Channel F made it obsolete at launch
and it suffered a final decisive blow when the superior (to both) Atari 2600 console was released only 10 months
later. It was discontinued in 1979.
There was a prototype, called simply RCA Studio. It was a test system comprising a box with exposed circuit boards.
RCA executives, including then CFO Ray Easter, were lent the prototype to try at home and give feed back. The
"Studio II" was the end product and first commercially available.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Market loss
In 1978, RCA announced low Christmas sales, and cut production of its Studio II system. While losses were not
announced, RCA laid off 120 workers at its plant that produced the system in North Carolina. Some analysts blamed
the fact the RCA Studio II's games were in black and white, and could not stand with its colored competitors.
[1]
System specs
RCA 1802 microprocessor, 1.78MHz
2 KB ROM (includes the five built-in games)
512 bytes RAM
RCA CDP 1861 "Pixie" video chip, 64x32, monochrome graphics
RCA Studio II
101
Studio II built-in games
Addition
Bowling
Doodle
Freeway
Patterns
Released Studio II cartridge games
1. 1. 18V400|TV Arcade I: Space War
2. 2. 18V401|TV Arcade II: Fun with Numbers
3. 3. 18V402|TV Arcade III: Tennis/Squash
4. 18V403|TV Arcade IV: Baseball
5. 5. 18V404|TV Arcade Series: Speedway/Tag
6. 6. 18V405|TV Arcade Series: Gunfighter/Moonship Battle
7. 7. 18V500|TV School House I
8. 8. 18V501|TV School House II: Math Fun
9. 9. 18V600|TV Casino I: Blackjack
10. 10. 18V700|TV Mystic Series: Biorhythm
There is also 1 known game that is a possible prototype called: 'Bingo' which was possibly part of the 'TV Casino'
series
Many of the Studio II clones had the same games but they also had unique titles not released in the USA:
M1200-05|Star Wars (Sheen M1200)
M1200-07|Pinball (Sheen M1200) or Flipper (German Clone)
List of carts released on the: MPT-02 clones (France/Australia)
1. 1. MG-200 Grand Pack (Doodle, Patterns, Blackjack and Bowling)
2. 2. MG-201 Bingo
3. 3. MG-202 Concentration Match
4. 4. MG-203 Star Wars
5. 5. MG-204 Math Fun (School House II)
6. 6. MG-205 Pinball
7. 7. MG-206 Biorythm
8. 8. MG-207 Tennis/Squash
9. 9. MG-208 Fun with Numbers
10. 10. MG-209 Computer Quiz (School House I)
11. 11. MG-210 Baseball
12. 12. MG-211 Speedway/Tag
13. 13. MG-212 Spacewar Intercept
14. 14. MG-213 Gun Fight/Moon ship
RCA Studio II
102
List of carts released on the: Visicom COM-100 clone(Japan)
1. CAS-110 Arithmetic drill (Math Fun & Fun with Numbers)
2. CAS-130 Sports fan (Baseball & Sumo Wrestling)
3. 3. CAS-140 Gambler I (Blackjack)
4. 4. CAS-141 Gambler II (Slot Machine and Dice)
5. 5. CAS-160 Space Command (Space War)
6. 6. CAS-190 Inspiration (Bagua and Biorhythm)
References
[1] http:/ / news.google. com/ newspapers?nid=1338& dat=19780214& id=47EvAAAAIBAJ& sjid=A_kDAAAAIBAJ& pg=4978,3228228
External links
History of Home Video Games - RCA Studio II (http:/ / videogames. org/ html/ RCAStuff/ RCAIndex. html)
The Dot Eaters article (http:/ / www. thedoteaters. com/ p3_stage1. php), featuring the RCA Studio II
Emma 02 (http:/ / www. emma02. hobby-site. com) including RCA Studio II Emulator
Telegames Personal Arcade
103
Manufacturer Telegames
Media Cartridge
The Telegames Personal Arcade is the US version of Bit Corporation's DINA 2-in-One. This slim console could
play both ColecoVision and Sega SG-1000 cartridges. It came equipped with Sega SG-1000 II styled control pads,
and even had a built in game called "Meteoric Shower". Since the DINA control pads did not contain the numeric
keypad of the actual ColecoVision controller, they were mounted on the unit itself. It also sported a "pause" button
that could be used for SG-1000 games.
History
The videogame crash of 1983 affected Coleco. Texas-based company Telegames eventually purchased the rights to
the ColecoVision console, and bought most of Coleco's stock. Rather than selling Coleco's bulky unit, Telegames
began manufacturing and distributing the Bit Corporation-designed DINA 2-in-One. In 1988 the renamed DINA
became the Telegames Personal Arcade. The unit was sold via mail order catalogs. The unit was sold by Telegames
through mail order for only US$40.
Compatibility
The console is not compatible with all ColecoVision cartridges, partly from its lack of a second numeric keypad.
Expansion modules for the ColecoVision are also incompatible, as the expansion port is of a completely different
pinout and shape. Some units possess a manufacturer's defect that causes the system to draw too much power into the
motherboard, causing damage after long-term play.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The Telegames Personal Arcade was advertised as an alternative to the ColecoVision, leaving the function of the
Sega SG-1000 cartridge port unexplained. Despite this, SG-1000 games are completely functional. The console does
not have a port for the Sega My Card games, but the "Sega Card Catcher" peripheral is compatible and allows for
Sega My Card games to be played.
References
TV Scoreboard
104
TV Scoreboard
The TV Scoreboard is a Pong-like game console manufactured from 1976 through the early '80s and made by
Tandy. Distribution was handled exclusively by Radio Shack. The machines were constructed in Hong Kong. The
TV Scoreboard consisted of a left and right player, with dials or paddles on the hand held piece, and had multiple
Pong era games. It also came with a revolver-type light gun, which was used for a clay pigeon shooting game. Using
additional cosmetic attachments to the light gun, the user could change its appearance to be that of a rifle. The games
included but were not restricted to tennis, squash, hockey and practice. Games and game modes, including difficulty
settings and serving settings, could be adjusted with switches. It ran on either an AC adapter, or (6) 1.5v AA battery.
The console belong to the first-generation of video game console and is based on one single chip: the General
Instruments AY-3-8500.
Ultravision Video Arcade System
The Ultravision Video Arcade System (VAS) was an unreleased gaming console announced in 1983. The slogan
provided by the company, "It's a game! A computer! A color TV!", was intended to demonstrate how the game
console was going to be a computer that was accessible and non-threatening to consumers.
Design
The system was composed of a standard 10" color television integrated with the game console, and controlled by two
16-direction joysticks with top-mounted buttons. It could run off either AC or DC power, making it portable by
allowing it to run off a car battery.
In addition to supporting its own line of game cartridges, the console was intended to have plugin modules that
would have supported the ColecoVision and Atari 2600 game libraries.
External links
AtariHQ Entry on the Ultravision
[1]
References
[1] http:/ / www. atarihq. com/ museum/ nonatari/ ultravision. php
VC 4000
105
VC 4000
VC 4000
Manufacturer Interton
Release date 1978
Introductory price 153
Discontinued 1983
Media Cartridges
CPU Signetics 2650A, Signetics 2636 video controller
Input 2 controllers with 12 buttons, 2 fire buttons and an analog joystick
Related articles 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
The VC 4000 is an early 8-bit cartridge-based game console released in Germany in 1978 by Interton. The console is
quite obscure outside Germany, but many software compatible systems can be found in many European countries
(see 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System). It's unclear if Interton really made the VC 4000 from scratch or
if they bought the rights and the design to produce it, as many other brands produced similar systems the following
years.
The VC-4000 is powered by a Signetics 2650A CPU (same as the Arcadia 2001) and a Signetics 2636 Video
Controller. The two controllers are composed of a 12-key keypad, 2 fire buttons and an analog joystick. On the
control panel of the system, one can find an on/off switch and three buttons: RESET, SELECT and START.
Released versions
The console was produced by different companies and sold with different names. Not every console is compatible
with others due to differences in the shapes and dimensions of the cartridge slots, but all of the consoles are software
compatible. In the article about the 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System there is a table with all the
software compatible consoles grouped by compatibility family (due to the slots).
Technical Specifications
CPU: Signetics 2650A at 0.887 MHz
Video controller: Signetics 2636
Data Memory: 37 bytes
VC 4000
106
List Of Games
The games for the VC 4000 were released on ROM cartridges known as cassettes.
Cassette 1 - Car Races
Cassette 2 - Blackjack
Cassette 3 - Paddle Games
Cassette 4 - Tank Battle
Cassette 5 - Mathematics I
Cassette 6 - Mathematics II
Cassette 7 - Air/Sea Battle
Cassette 8 - Memory/Flag Capture
Cassette 9 - Intelligence I
Cassette 10 - Winter Sports
Cassette 11 - Hippodrome
Cassette 12 - Hunting
Cassette 13 - Chess
Cassette 14 - Motocross
Cassette 15 - Intelligence II
Cassette 16 - Intelligence III
Cassette 17 - Circus
Cassette 18 - Boxing Match
Cassette 19 - Outer Space Combat
Cassette 20 - Melody/Simon
Cassette 21 - Intelligence IV/Reversi
Cassette 22 - Chess II
Cassette 23 - Pinball
Cassette 24 - Soccer
Cassette 25 - Bowling/Ninepins
Cassette 26 - Draughts
Cassette 27 - Golf
Cassette 28 - Cockpit
Cassette 29 - Metropolis/Hangman
Cassette 30 - Solitaire
Cassette 31 - Casino
Cassette 32 - Invaders
Cassette 33 - Super Invaders
Cassette 34 - Space Laser (Unreleased)
Cassette 35 - Rodeo (Unreleased)
Cassette 36 - Backgammon
Cassette 37 - Monster Man
Cassette 38 - Hyperspace
Cassette 39 - Basketball (Unreleased)
Cassette 40 - Super-Space
VC 4000
107
External links
Old-computers.com
[1]
Console Database
[2]
WinArcadia/AmiArcadia emulator
[3]
Interton VC 4000 Gaming Guide
[4]
EA2001 Central
[5]
[6] Cassette Information
References
[1] http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?c=726
[2] http:/ / consoledatabase. com/ consoleinfo/ intertonvc4000/ index. html
[3] http:/ / amigan.1emu.net/ releases/
[4] http:/ / amigan.1emu.net/ igg/
[5] http:/ / amigan.yatho.com/
[6] http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ vc4000
VTech CreatiVision
108
VTech CreatiVision
VTech CreatiVision
VTech CreatiVision
Manufacturer VTech
Retail availability 1981 (Hong Kong)
Discontinued Early 1986
Media cartridge
CPU Rockwell 6502 @ 2 MHz
Storage cassette tape
Graphics Texas Instruments TMS 9918/9929
Controller input joystick/membrane keypad controllers
Successor VTech Laser 2001
The Video Technology CreatiVision was a hybrid computer and video game console introduced by VTech in 1981.
The hybrid unit was similar in concept to computers such as the APF Imagination Machine, the older VideoBrain
Family Computer, and to a lesser extent the Intellivision game console and Coleco Adam computer, all of which
anticipated the trend of video game consoles becoming more like low-end computers.
The CreatiVision was distributed in many European countries, in South Africa, in Israel under the Educat 2002
name, as well as in Australia under the Dick Smith Wizzard name. Other names for the system (all officially
produced by VTech themselves) include the FunVision Computer Video Games System, Hanimex Rameses and
VZ 2000. All CreatiVision and similar clones were designed for use with PAL standard television sets, except the
Japanese CreatiVision (distributed by Cheryco) which was NTSC and is nowadays much sought after by collectors.
VTech CreatiVision
109
VTech CreatiVision rebranded as a Dick Smith
Wizzard
The CreatiVision console sported an 8-bit Rockwell 6502 CPU at
a speed of 2 MHz, 1KB of RAM and 16KB of Video RAM, and
had a graphics resolution of 256 192 with 16 colors and 32
sprites. The console had 2 integrated joystick/membrane keypad
controllers (much like the ColecoVision) which, when set in a
special compartment on top of the console, could be used as a
computer keyboard. The CreatiVision had interfaces for a cassette
player, an extra rubber keyboard, floppy disk drive, parallel I/O
interface, modem (likely unreleased), Centronics printer and one
memory expansion module for use with the Basic language
cartridge. [1]
The CreatiVision was discontinued in late 1985/early 1986. A
computer was produced by VTech in 1984-1986, based on
CreatiVision hardware and compatible with most of the games:
Laser 2001, which sold in Europe and Australia. It was also
available in Finland through Salora, with the name of Manager. The Manager had a specific keyboard with Finnish
layout and character set.
External links
CreatiVEmu: CreatiVision Emulation Central
[2]
Creativision Datasette Interface
[3]
References
[1] http:/ / darkwatcher. home.att.net/ console/ vtech.htm
[2] http:/ / www. madrigaldesign. it/ creativemu/
[3] http:/ / www. 8bit-homecomputermuseum. at/ repair/ creativision_datasette_interface/ Creativision_datasette_interface. html
Vectrex
110
Vectrex
Vectrex
Manufacturer General Consumer Electronics
(1982-83)
Milton Bradley Company (1983-84)
Retail availability
NA
November 1982
EU
May 1983
JP
June 1983
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Motorola MC68A09 @ 1.5 MHz
Controller input Two
Three European release Vectrex machines
running Scramble, Solar Quest, and Star Ship,
respectively
The Vectrex is a vector display-based video game console that was
developed by Western Technologies/Smith Engineering. It was
licensed and distributed first by General Consumer Electronics (GCE),
and then by Milton Bradley Company after their purchase of GCE. It
was released in November 1982 at a retail price of $199 ($470 adjusted
for inflation
[1]
); as Milton Bradley took over international marketing
the price dropped to $150 and then $100 shortly before the video game
crash of 1983. The Vectrex exited the market in early 1984.
Unlike other non-portable video game consoles, which connected to
televisions and rendered raster graphics, the Vectrex has an integrated
vector monitor which displays vector graphics. The Vectrex is
monochrome and uses plastic screen overlays to simulate color and
various static graphics and decorations. At the time, many of the most popular arcade games used vector displays,
and through a licensing deal with Cinematronics, GCE was able to produce high-quality versions of arcade games
such as Space Wars and Armor Attack.
Vectrex comes with a built-in game, MineStorm. Two peripherals were also available for the Vectrex, a light pen and
a 3D imager.
Vectrex
111
The Vectrex was also released in Japan under the name Bandai Vectrex Kousokusen. In the U.S.A., the model
number of the Vectrex was HP-3000.
History
Games came supplied with color overlay sheets
to compensate for the limitations of the screen.
The idea for the Vectrex was conceived by John Ross of Smith
Engineering in late 1980. He, Mike Purvis, Tom Sloper, and Steve
Marking had gone to Electro-Mavin, a surplus warehouse in Los
Angeles. They found a 1" cathode ray tube from a heads-up display
and considered that a small electronic game could be made of
this.Wikipedia:Citation needed A demonstration of a vector-drawing
cathode ray tube display was made by connecting the deflection yoke
in a standard television to the channels of a stereo amplifier fed with
music program material. An axillary yoke was used to keep the raster
television's horizontal fly-back high-voltage system running. The demo led to a system originally conceived as a
handheld called the Mini Arcade, but as Smith Engineering shopped the idea around to developers, it evolved into a
tabletop with nine-inch screen.
The system was ultimately licensed to General Consumer Electronics in 1981. After an exceptionally brief hardware
and software development period, the Vectrex was unveiled in July of the following year at the Summer Consumer
Electronics Show in Chicago. It was released to the public in November, just in time for the holidays. The launch
sales were strong enough that Milton Bradley bought out General Consumer Electronics in early 1983.
Milton Bradley's far greater resources allowed the Vectrex to be released in parts of Europe within a few months of
the buyout, and through a co-branding agreement with Bandai, in Japan as well. However, the Video game crash of
1983 turned Milton Bradley's support of the Vectrex into a costly mistake. In May 1984, Milton Bradley merged
with Hasbro, and the Vectrex was discontinued a few months after. Over its lifetime, it had cost Milton Bradley tens
of millions of dollars.
Prior to the Vectrex's discontinuation, a successor console with color screen had been planned.
[2]
After the rights
reverted to Smith Engineering, the company made plans to revive the Vectrex as a handheld, but the imminent
arrival of Nintendo's Game Boy put an end to the matter. In the mid-1990s, head of Smith Engineering Jay Smith put
the entire Vectrex product line into public domain.
System features
The Vectrex was the first and only home-based system to ever use a vector-based screen. It was also the first system
to offer a 3D peripheral (the Vectrex 3D Imager), predating the Sega Master System's SegaScope 3D by about four
years.
The Vectrex was not a commercial success, due in part to its release just prior to the North American video game
crash of 1983. However, it retains a small, devoted fan base.
[2]
In addition, critics have praised the system's
durability, the design of its controllers, and its library of games.
Vectrex
112
European release Vectrex playing Minestorm
Circuit board
CPU: Motorola 68A09 @ 1.5 MHz
RAM: 1 kB (two 4-bit 2114 chips)
ROM: 8 kB (one 8-bit 2363 chip)
Cartridge ROM: 32 kB
Sound
Sound: General Instrument AY-3-8912
3" electrodynamic paper cone speaker
Design
The computer and vector generator were designed by Gerry Karr. The
computer runs the game's computer code, watches the user's inputs,
runs the sound generator, and controls the vector generator to make the
screen drawings. The vector generator is an all analog design using two
integrators: X and Y. The computer sets the integration rates using a digital-to-analog converter. The computer
controls the integration time by momentarily closing electronic analog switches within the operational-amplifier
based integrator circuits. Voltage ramps are produced that the monitor uses to steer the electron-beam over the face
of the phosphor screen of the cathode ray tube. Another signal is generated that controls the brightness of the line.
The cathode ray tube is a Samsung model 240RB40 monochrome unit measuring 9 11inches, displaying a picture
of 240mm diagonal; it is an off-the-shelf picture tube manufactured for small black/white television sets. The
brightness of the CRT is controlled using a circular knob on the back of the display. A vector CRT display such as
the one in the Vectrex does not require a special tube, and differs from standard raster-based television sets only in
the control circuits. Rather than use sawtooth waves to direct the internal electron beam in a raster pattern,
computer-controlled integrators feed linear amplifiers to drive the deflection yoke. This yoke has similar, if not
identical inductances, unlike a TV deflection yoke. The yoke uses a standard TV core. The high-voltage transformer
also uses a standard core and bobbin. There is special circuitry to turn off the electron beam if the vector generator
stops or fails. This prevents burning of the screen's phosphors. This design is a great deal smaller than the electronics
found in the free-standing, full-sized Asteroids.
Early units have a very audible "buzzing" from the built-in speaker that reacts to the graphics generated on screen.
This is due to improper production grounding of signal lines of the low-level audio circuitry, and was eventually
resolved in later production models. A "ground loop" had been created by a grounding strap added in production to
meet FCC signal radiation requirements.Wikipedia:Citation needed This idiosyncrasy has become a familiar
characteristic of the machine.
Peripherals
The 3-D Imager turns the 2-D black-and-white images drawn by the Vectrex into a color 3-D experience. The imager
works by spinning a disk in front of the viewer's eyes. The disk is black for 180 degrees and then has 60 degree
wedges of transparent red, green, and blue filters. The user looks through this to the Vectrex screen. The Vectrex
synchronizes the rotation of the disk to the software frame rate as it draws 6 screens: with the right eye covered: the
left eye red image, then green, and then the blue image is drawn... and then, while the left eye is covered by the black
180 degree sector: the right eye red, green, and then the blue image is drawn. Only one eye will see the Vectrex
Vectrex
113
screen and its 3 associated images (or colors) at any one time while the other will be blocked by the 180 degree
mask.Wikipedia:Citation needed The prototype was made in the plastic casework of a Viewmaster. The disc spins
freely and is driven by a motor. The Vectrex software generates its own frame-rate and compares it to an index
signal from the glasses once per revolution. Score is kept of how many wheel rotations are early compared to the
software frame rate, and how many are late. The software tries to keep these two trends equal by adjusting the power
being delivered to the motor that spins the filter and mask wheel. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is used to control
the motor speed: the ratio of the "on" time versus the "off" time of a rapid stream of power pulses to the motor. In
this way the software synchronizes the wheel rotation to the software's frame rate, or drawing time, for the combined
and repeating group of up to 6 evolving images.
A single object that does not lie on the plane of the monitor (i.e., in front of or into the monitor) is drawn at least
twice to provide information for each eye. The distance between the duplicate images and the angles from which
they are drawn will determine where the object will appear to "be" in 3-D space. The 3-D illusion is also enhanced
by adjusting the brightness of the object (dimming objects in the background). Spinning the disk at a high enough
speed will fool the viewer's eyes/brain into thinking that the multiple images it is seeing are two different views of
the same object due to the persistence of vision. This creates the impression of 3-D and color.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
The 3-D imager was invented by John Ross.
The same 3-D effect is in fact possible with raster or film-projection images, and the shutter glasses used in some
3-D theaters and virtual reality theme park rides work on the same principle.
The light pen allows the user to "draw", to create images and to indicate, on the screen. It has a photo-detector that
can see the bright spot of the vector-drawing display monitor when it goes by under the light pen's position where it
is being held to the screen. The photo-detector feeds internal pulse-catching circuits that tell the Vectrex and its
software of the event. The prototype was made in the plastic casework of a Marks-A-Lot felt-tipped marker pen. The
Vectrex draws a spider-web-like search-pattern to track the pen's location. The software changes the pattern's size as
the pen changes motions and velocity in an attempt keep a continuous lock on the pen's position. The Vectrex light
pen was invented by John Ross.
Software
The game built into the Vectrex, MineStorm, would crash at level 13. However, on some machines the game would
continue until the highest level, in which more mines were laid than would hatch. Consumers who complained to the
company about the crash at the 13th level received a replacement cartridge in the mail. Titled MineStorm II, it was
the fixed version of the Vectrex's built in game. However, very few wrote to the company about it due to the
difficulty in reaching level 13, making MineStorm II one of the rarest cartridges for the Vectrex system.
[3]
A healthy percentage of the Vectrex's library consisted of ports of arcade hits, most of them brought to the console
through a licensing deal with Cinematronics.
The liquor company Mr. Boston gave out a limited number of customized Clean Sweep cartridges, with a Mr. Boston
sticker on the box. The overlay was basically the regular Clean Sweep overlay with the Mr. Boston name, logo, and
copyright info running up either side. The game itself had custom text, and the player controlled a top hat rather than
a vacuum.
[]
"Clean Sweep" was written by Richard Moszkowski.
Vectrex
114
Reception
Byte in 1982 called Vectrex "one of the greatest game machines we have seen this year ... [Vectrex] is a good bet to
score big with the consumer". It praised the screen, stating that "it almost has to be seen to be believed; imagine
playing games at home (or in the office) using vector graphics with three-dimensional rotation and zoom", and noted
that "It is unusual and refreshing to see a product appearing on the market with its software ready to run".
References
[1] Consumer Price Index (estimate) 18002014 (http:/ / www. minneapolisfed. org/ community_education/ teacher/ calc/ hist1800. cfm).
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
[2] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=QZS_gXpshd4C& pg=PT151& dq=color+ vectrex+ prototype& hl=en& sa=X&
ei=SYXqUqj-HYisyAH4gIFQ& ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage& q& f=false
[3] September 2006. Holy Grails of Console Game Collecting - Part 1 (http:/ / www. racketboy. com/ retro/ 2006/ 09/
holy-grails-of-console-game-collecting.html), Racket Boy.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vectrex.
Vectrex Museum (http:/ / www. vectrexmuseum. com) including a Vectrex Wiki (http:/ / vectrexmuseum. com/
wiki/ ) and the mirror of the Vectrex Game Database (http:/ / vectrexmuseum. com/ mirror/ vgdb/ )
Vectrex.co.uk (http:/ / www. vectrex. co. uk) Vectrex fan site with news, highscores, reviews, manuals, patents,
datasheets, and other docs
Vectrex infosite (http:/ / www. vectrexworld. com) News, manuals, reviews, screenshots, FAQs, scanned
manuals, scanned boxes and more.
Spike's Big Vectrex Page (http:/ / vectrex. atarihq. com) Vectrex portal, recent games/projects/news, information
archive
ParaJVE (http:/ / www. vectrex. fr/ ?topic=parajve& nl=en): Vectrex emulator
115
Third Generation Game Consoles
Action Max
For the television channel, see ActionMax.
Action Max
Manufacturer Worlds of Wonder
Generation Third generation
Media VHS tape
Action Max is a console using VHS tapes for games. It was created in 1987 by Worlds of Wonder.
The system required its owner to also have a VCR, as the console did not have a way to play tapes itself. Using a
light gun (or two for 2-player games) players would shoot at the screen. The gaming was strictly point-based and
dependent on shot accuracy. Players could not truly "lose" or "win" a game. This, along with the fact that the only
real genre on the system were light gun games that played exactly the same way every time, greatly limited the
system's appeal and led to its quick downfall.
The Action Max had a very limited release outside the US and only one PAL game is suspected to have been made.
Like the Fairchild Channel F, this unit had an internal speaker.
Games
Sonic Fury (PAL)
In all, five VHS cassettes were released for the system:
.38 Ambush Alley (police target range)
Blue Thunder (based on the eponymous 1983 motion picture)
Hydrosub: 2021 (futuristic underwater voyage)
The Rescue of Pops Ghostly (comic haunted-house adventure)
Sonic Fury (aerial combat; bundled with system)
A planned sixth cassette, Fright Night, was unreleased at the time
Action Max was discontinued.
Each game followed an identical gameplay format (described below), differing only in theme.
Action Max
116
Targeting system
Before playing, a red sensor had to be attached to the lower right corner of the television screen. This corner
contained a circle that was usually black, but would flash rapidly whenever something on the screen was shootable.
At the same time, targets would be highlighted by rapidly flashing panels, for the player to shoot at. The Action Max
console used the corner circle and light from the targets (picked up by the guns) to determine when something had
been hit. Flashes in sync with the corner circle would count as 'enemy' hits, and would earn points for the player.
Flashes out of sync with the corner circle counted as 'friend' hits, losing points.
With this implementation, the unit can function with copies of the original VHS tapes, including those on more
modern formats such as DVD-R. The console can also work with any filmed footage properly formatted to function
with the console's light gun.
An Action Max (PAL) PCB.
CPU: HD401010
Internal Speaker
2 Character, 7 segment LED score display
External links
Action Max Calibration Screen
[1]
Action Max on OLD-COMPUTERS.COM
[2]
Action Max Emulator
[3]
References
[1] http:/ / www. youtube.com/ watch?v=v9ZcvwkUHvw
[2] http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?c=1008& st=2
[3] http:/ / www. jaegertech. com/ software/ singe
Amstrad GX4000
117
Amstrad GX4000
GX4000
Manufacturer Amstrad
Generation Third generationWikipedia:Citation needed
Retail availability
EU
September 1990
[1]
Discontinued 1991
Media ROM Cartridge
CPU 8-Bit Zilog Z80 4mhz
Best-selling game Burnin' Rubber (Pack-in)
The GX4000 was Amstrad's short-lived attempt to enter the games console market. The console was released in
Europe in 1990 and was an upgraded design based on the then still-popular CPC technology. The GX4000 shared
hardware architecture with Amstrad's CPC Plus computer line, which was released concurrently. This allowed the
system to be compatible with the majority of CPC Plus software.
The GX4000 was both Amstrad's first and only attempt at entering the console market. Although offering enhanced
graphics capabilities, it failed to gain popularity in the market, and was quickly discontinued, selling 15,000 units in
total.
James Harding of The Times said that the console was "promptly outgunned by the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive and
Super Nintendo it failed the cardinal test of entrepreneurship: stamina."
[2]
Launch
After months of speculation, the GX4000 was officially announced along with the 464 plus and 6128 plus computers
at the CNIT Centre in Paris in August 1990.
[3]
The system was launched a month later in four countries, Britain,
France, Spain, and Italy,
[4]
priced at 99.99 in Britain and 990f in France; software was priced at 25 for most
games. The racing game Burnin' Rubber, a power pack, and two controllers were bundled with the machine.
Initial reviews of the console were favourable, with CVG calling it a "neat looking and technically impressive
console that has an awful lot of potential at the very low price of 99",
[5]
but while impressed by the graphical
capabilities, they criticised the audio and controllers. ACE magazine came to a similar conclusion, stating that the
system "puts the other 8-bit offerings to shame bar the PC-Engine".
[6]
A marketing budget of 20 million was set aside for Europe, with the advertising focused on selling the GX4000 as a
home alternative to playing arcade games. The tagline for the machine was "Bring the whole arcade into your
home!"
[7]
Amstrad GX4000
118
Market performance
The GX4000 was not successful commercially. During its lifespan, software for the system was short in number and
slow to arrive, consumer interest was low, and coverage from popular magazines of the time was slight, with some
readers complaining about a lack of information regarding the machine (Amstrad Action was one of the few
magazines to support the machine). Within a few weeks of the initial launch, the system could be bought at
discounted prices, and by July 1991 some stores were selling it for as little as 29.99
[8]
There were many reasons for the system's lack of success. At this stage the 16 bit Commodore Amiga, and Atari ST,
along with earlier 8-bit consoles and computers were already dominating the European video game market, and hype
for new 16-bit consoles such as the Mega Drive was starting to rapidly grow. Amstrad also lacked the marketing
power to compete with the producers of the Sega Mega Drive (released in November 1990 in Europe) and eventually
the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. On top of this there were also problems with software manufacturing,
with many companies complaining that the duplication process was taking months instead of weeks,
[9]
leading to
little software available at launch, and some games being released late or cancelled entirely. Lastly, many GX4000
games were simply CPC games released onto cartridge with minor, or no improvements, which lead to generally
unimpressive looking games, and consumer apathy, with many users not prepared to pay 25 for a cartridge game
that they could buy for 3.99 on cassette instead.
When discussing the market failure of the system, the designer, Cliff Lawson, claimed that The GX4000 was
technically "at least as good" as the SNES, and that the machine faltered due to a lack of games and Amstrad not
having the money to compete with Nintendo, and Sega. When asked whether anything could have been done to
make the machine a success he replied that more money would have been required to give software houses more
incentive to support Amstrad, and that the games and software needed to be delivered sooner, he also remarked that
making the machine 16-bit would also have helped.
Amstrad GX4000 PCB.
CPU: 8/16-bit Zilog Z80A at 4MHz
ASIC: Support for sprites, soft scrolling, programmable
interrupts, DMA Sound
Resolution
Mode 0: 160x200 pixels with 16 colours
Colour
Depth: 12-bit RGB
Colours available: 4096
Maximum colours onscreen: 32 (16 for background, 15 for
sprites, 1 for border)
Maximum onscreen colour counts can be increased in all Modes
through the use of interrupts.
Sprites
Number: 16 high resolution sprites per line
Sizes: 16x16 (each sprite can be magnified 2x or 4x in X and Y)
Colours: Each sprite can use up to 15 colours
Memory
Amstrad GX4000
119
RAM: 64 kB
VRam: 16 kB
ROM: 32 kB
Audio
3-channel stereo; AY-3-8912 chip
DMA
IO
Audio output, 2x Digital controller connectors, Analog controller port (IBM standard), Lightgun connector (RJ11),
Audio and RGB Video output (8-pin DIN), Power supply socket from external PSU, Power supply socket from
monitor.
Peripherals
Standard controllers
GX4000 Controller
The GX4000 controller is similar to popular 8-bit gamepads of the time
such as those for the Sega Master System, and NES. It contains only
two buttons on the actual pad with the pause button located on the
console itself, and uses the prevailing de facto standard Atari-style
9-pin connector.
Analog Joysticks
The GX4000 supports the use of analog controllers through its specific
IBM standard analog controller port. The controller was not widely
supported by software.
Lightguns
The GX4000 supports the use of a lightgun through its dedicated RJ11 lightgun connector. Multiple 3rd party
Lightguns were available, and official releases supported this peripheral. There were two games supporting the use
of a lightgun on the GX4000 - Skeet Shoot and The Enforcer which were both distributed with a 3rd party gun.
[10]
Games
In all, 27 games were produced and distributed for the GX4000.
[11][12]
The majority of games were made by UK-
and French-based companies such as Ocean, Titus, and Loriciels.
Notable games were the pack-in game: Burnin' Rubber as well as RoboCop 2, Pang, Plotting, Navy Seals and
Switchblade.
Many more games were initially announced, such as Toki, Kick Off 2, and Outrun, but later cancelled when the
system failed to sell.
Amstrad GX4000
120
References
[1] "ACE Magazine." ACE Magazine Issue 31 1990
[2] Harding, James. " Show business (http:/ / web. archive.org/ web/ 20090430235256/ http:/ / entertainment. timesonline. co. uk/ tol/
arts_and_entertainment/ tv_and_radio/ article1921905.ece)." The Times. June 13, 2007. Retrieved on November 3, 2011.
[3] "Mr Sugar, Its Triplets" The Games Machine September 1990 Pg14.
[4] "GX-4000 : Sugar casse le morceau " Tilt September 1990.
[5] "Am 'N' Chips" CVG September 1990.
[6] "CPChoice" ACE October 1990 Pg120.
[7] "GX4000 Advert" CVG November 1990 Pg25.
[8] "Bitesize Amstrad" CVG July 1991 Pg78.
[9] "The French Connection" Amstrad Action February 1992.
[10] "Trojan Light Phazer - Skeet Shoot & The Enforcer" http:/ / gx4000. co. uk/ gamebase/ games. php?game=trojanlightphazer
[11] Amstrad GX4000 on videogameconsolelibrary.com (http:/ / www. videogameconsolelibrary. com/ pg90-gx4000. htm#page=games)
[12] Complete list of GX 4000 games (http:/ / www.cpcmania. com/ GX4000-Games/ Games. htm)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amstrad GX4000.
Old-Computers.com page on the GX 4000 (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=2&
c=1082)
The CPCwiki article about the GX4000. Lots of info (http:/ / cpcwiki. eu/ index. php/ Plus)
Atari 7800
121
Atari 7800
Atari 7800 System
Manufacturer Atari, Inc., Atari Corporation
Release date
May21,1984 (announcement)
[1]
US June1984 (original release)Wikipedia:Citation needed
US January1986 (re-release)
Europe 1987
Introductory price US$140
Discontinued January 1, 1992Wikipedia:Citation needed
Units sold
3.77 million (worldwide)
[2]
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Atari SALLY 6502 ("6502C") clocked at 1.19-1.79MHz,
Memory 4KB RAM, 4KB BIOS ROM, 48KB Cartridge ROM Space
Display 160240, 320240 (160288/320288 if PAL), 25 on-screen colours out of possible 256
Backward
compatibility
Atari 2600
Predecessor Atari 5200
Successor Atari XE Game System
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console officially released by Atari
Corporation in January 1986.
[3]
The 1986 launch is sometimes referred to as a "re-release" or "relaunch" because the
Atari 7800 had originally been announced in May 1984, to replace Atari Inc.'s Atari 5200, but a general release was
shelved due to the sale of the company.
[4]
In January 1986, the 7800 was relaunched and would compete that year
with the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Master System. It had simple digital joysticks and was almost
fully backward-compatible with the Atari 2600, the first console to have backward compatibility without the use of
additional modules. It was considered affordable at a price of US$140.
In 2009, IGN chose the 7800 to be their 17th best video game console of all time. They justified this relatively low
ranking (though higher than every other Atari console save the 2600) with the summary statement: "Its delayed
release, its cancelled peripherals, and a lack of financial backing from the company's new owners all combined to
ensure that Atari 7800 would never see any success beyond being a sexier way of playing Atari 2600 titles."
[5]
Atari 7800
122
History
The Atari 7800 ProSystem was the first game system from Atari Inc. designed by an outside company, General
Computer Corporation (GCC). The system had been designed in 1983 through 1984 with an intended mass market
rollout in June 1984, but was canceled shortly thereafter due to the sale of the company to Tramel Technology Ltd
on July 2, 1984. The project was originally called the Atari 3600, though was later renamed the Atari
Several key factors influenced the design of the 7800. First, Atari had been facing mounting pressure from the
ColecoVision, which boasted graphics that more closely mirrored arcade games of the time than Ataris reigning
2600 VCS system. Second, the Atari 5200 (the original intended successor to the Atari 2600 VCS) had been widely
criticized for not being able to play Atari 2600 VCS games without an adapter. Finally, dropping prices of home
computers like the Commodore 64 had caused many to believe that buying a home computer was a better investment
because it provided more detailed gameplay and could be used for other purposes such as word
processing.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Previous game consoles sometimes had a difficult time replicating the arcade experience in home versions of popular
arcade games. In particular, home versions of arcade games sometimes had problems with flickering and slow down
when more than a few moving objects appeared on the screen at once. GCC, which had a background in creating
arcade games, designed their new system with a graphical architecture similar to arcade machines of the time. The
7800 featured the ability to move around a tremendous amount of objects (75-to-100) that far exceeded previous
consoles. Powering the system was an Atari SALLY 6502 (Atari's slightly custom 6502, sometimes described as a
"6502C") processor running at 1.79MHz, similar to the processor found in home computers (Atari 8-bit, Apple II,
Commodore 64) and other consoles (Atari 5200 and Nintendo Entertainment System).Wikipedia:Citation needed
In response to the criticisms of the Atari 5200, the Atari 7800 could play almost all Atari 2600 games out of the box,
without the need for an adapter. In addition, it featured a return to a digital controller.Wikipedia:Citation needed
To address the concerns of parents that home computers were a better investment than consoles, the system was
designed to be upgraded to a full-fledged home computer. A keyboard was developed, and the keyboard had an
expansion port (which was the SIO port from Atari's 8-bit computer line, though the 7800 could not run Atari
computer programs) that allowed for the addition of peripherals such as disk drives and printers.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
To further enhance the gaming experience, GCC had also designed a "high score cartridge", a battery-backed RAM
cartridge designed for storing game scores. On the side of the 7800 was an expansion port, reportedly for a planned
connection with a laserdisc player.
Atari 7800
123
Atari 7800 System (PAL system with Joypad controller)
Launch
The 7800 was initially released in southern California in June
1984Wikipedia:Citation needed, following an announcement
on May 21, 1984 at the Summer Consumer Electronics
Show. 13 games were announced for the system's launch,
including Ms. Pac-Man, Pole Position II, Centipede, Joust,
Dig Dug, Desert Falcon, Robotron: 2084, Galaga, Xevious,
Food Fight, Ballblazer, Rescue on Fractalus!, and Track and
Field. Atari was a sponsor of the 1984 Summer Olympics
and planned to push the 7800 aggressively in time for
Christmas that year. Wikipedia:Citation needed
On July 2, 1984, Warner Communications sold Atari's
Consumer Division to Jack Tramiel.
[6]
All projects were
halted during an initial evaluation period. Modern publications have often incorrectly asserted that Jack Tramiel
mothballed the Atari 7800 feeling video games were a past fad and subsequently asserted that he dusted off the Atari
7800 once the Nintendo NES became successful. The reality was that a contractual issue arose in that GCC had not
been paid for their development of the 7800. Warner and Tramiel battled back and forth over who was accountable,
with Tramiel believing that the 7800 should have been covered as part of his acquisition deal. In May 1985, Jack
relented and paid GCC the overdue payment. This led to additional negotiations regarding the initial launch titles
that GCC had developed and then an effort to find someone to lead their new video game division, which was
completed in November 1985.
[7]
The original production run of the Atari 7800 languished on warehouse shelves until it was re-introduced in January
1986 after strong 2600 sales the previous Christmas.
[8]
Atari's launch of the 7800 under Tramiel was far more subdued than Warner had planned for the system in 1984 with
a marketing budget of just $300,000. Additionally, the keyboard and high score cartridge were canceled, the
expansion port was removed from later production runs of the system and, in lieu of new titles, the system was
launched with titles intended for the 7800's debut in 1984.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Marketplace challenges
Atari's lineup for the 7800 emphasized high-quality versions of popular arcade games like Joust and Asteroids. This
had been a primary reason for the success of the Atari 2600 VCS against systems like the Intellivision.
During the Atari 7800s life cycle, Atari found themselves struggling to get developers to create 7800 versions of
then-popular arcade titles because of a controversial policy employed by Nintendo. When Nintendo revived the
industry, they signed up software development companies to create Nintendo Entertainment System games under a
strict license agreement which imposed serious restrictions on what they were allowed to do. One of the key clauses
was that companies who made Nintendo games were not allowed to make that game on a competing system for a
period of two years. Because of the market success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, companies chose to
develop for it first and were thus barred from developing the same games on competing systems for two years. The
software libraries of the Atari 7800 and Sega Master System suffered tremendously as a result.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
Eleven titles were developed and sold by three third-party companies under their own labels for the 7800 (Absolute
Entertainment, Activision, and Froggo) with the rest published by Atari themselves. However, most Atari
development was contracted out.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari 7800
124
Some NES titles were developed by companies who had licensed their title from a different arcade manufacturer.
While the creator of the NES version would be restricted from making a competitive version of an NES game, the
original arcade copyright holder was not precluded from licensing out rights for a home version of an arcade game to
multiple systems. Through this loophole, Atari 7800 conversions of Mario Bros., Double Dragon, Commando,
Rampage, Xenophobe, Ikari Warriors and Kung Fu Master were licensed and developed.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Demise
The Atari 7800 remained officially active in the United States between 1986 and 1991 and in Europe between 1989
and 1991. On January 1, 1992, Atari Corp. formally announced that production of the Atari 7800, the Atari 2600, the
Atari 8-bit computer line, and the Atari XE Game System would cease. By the time of the cancellation, Nintendo's
NES dominated the North American market, controlling 80% while Atari Corp. controlled just 12%.
Despite trailing the Nintendo Entertainment System in terms of number of units sold, the 7800 was a profitable
enterprise for Atari Corp., benefiting largely from Ataris name and the system's 2600 compatibility. Profits were
strong owing to low investment in game development and marketing. Nonetheless, the 7800 failed to help Atari
regain its dominance in the videogame industry.Wikipedia:Citation needed
CPU: Atari SALLY 6502 ("6502C")
Speed: 1.79MHz, drops to 1.19MHz when the TIA Television Interface Adaptor or RIOT (6532
RAM-I/O-Timer) chips are accessed
(note: Unlike a standard 6502, SALLY can be halted to allow other devices to control the bus)
RAM: 4 KB (2 6116 2Kx8 RAM ICs)
ROM: built in 4 KB BIOS ROM, 48 KB Cartridge ROM space without bank switching
Graphics: MARIA custom graphics controller
160240 (160288 PAL) resolution or 320240/288 resolution
256 color palette out of 256 colors (16 hues * 16 luma), different graphics modes restricted the number of
usable colors and the number of colors per sprite
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Graphics clock: 7.16MHz
I/O: Joystick and console switch IO handled by 6532 RIOT and TIA
Ports: 2 joystick ports, 1 cartridge port, 1 expansion connector, power in, RF output
Sound: TIA video and sound chip, same as the 2600. Only the sound is used in 7800 games. Both video and
sound are used in 2600 games.
Optional POKEY sound chip on cartridge for improved sounds.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Graphics
The graphics are generated by a custom graphics chip called MARIA which is very different from other second and
third generation consoles, and made it more difficult for game programmers to make the transition. Instead of a
limited number of hardware sprites, the MARIA allows for a much larger number of sprites described in a list of
display lists. Each display list contains sprite entries with pointers to graphics data, color information, and horizontal
positioning. The same display list is used for multiple rasters with the pointers being automatically adjusted.
However, managing and displaying a large number of sprites required much more CPU time (both directly and
indirectly since the MARIA would halt the CPU when drawing sprites) than consoles with hardware sprites and
backgrounds.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Atari 7800
125
MARIA has a number of different graphics modes which are either 160 pixels wide or 320 pixels wide. While the
320 pixel modes theoretically enable the 7800 to create games at higher resolution than the 256 pixel wide graphics
found in the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Master System, the intense processing demands of MARIA
typically meant that programmers created their games using the lower 160 pixel modes.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The 7800 features a broad (for its time) palette of 256 colors. Depending on various parameters, each individual
sprite can use from 1 to 12 colors, with 3 colors (plus a 4th "transparency" color) being the most common. In this
format, the sprite is referenced to one of 8 palettes, where each palette holds 3 assignable colors. There is also an
assignable background color, which will be visible wherever another object has not covered it up. In total the system
can utilize 25 colors on a scanline at one time.
[9]
The graphics resolution, color palette assignments, and background color can be adjusted in between scanlines. This
advanced programming technique is documented in the original 1983 "Atari 3600 Software Guide". Games often
used this feature to render high resolution text in one area of the screen, while displaying more colorful graphics with
less resolution in the gameplay area. Demos also exist which use this feature to place all 256 colors on the screen at
the same time.
The MARIAs approach had advantages and disadvantages when it came to generating graphics in software during
the lifespan of the 7800. It excelled at moving around large numbers of sprites on a static screen without the screen
flickering that plagued other 8-bit systems. Its flexible design enabled it to play games which used display list
manipulation to generate a pseudo 3D appearance such as Ballblazer (1987) and F-18 Hornet (1988). While
side-scrolling games in the vein of Super Mario Bros. are possible on the system (1990's Scrapyard Dog is the best
example), it is significantly harder to develop such a title than on a tile-based system such as the Nintendo
Entertainment System.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Sound
A common criticism of the 7800 regards its use of the TIA to provide 2-channel sound effects and music, resulting in
sound quality that is virtually identical to the Atari 2600 VCS from 1977. While the inclusion of 2600 hardware is
required to maintain compatibility with the older system, this drove up production costs and reduced available space
on the 7800s motherboard. As such, the 7800 does not include additional hardware for generating sound as it does
with graphics and the sound hardware is considered the weakest part of the system.
To compensate for this, GCCs engineers allowed games to include a POKEY audio chip in the cartridge which
substantially improved the audio quality. To ensure software developers had an economical means of producing
better sound than TIA, GCC had originally planned to make a low-cost, high performance sound chip, GUMBY,
which could also be placed in 7800 cartridges to enhance its sound capabilities further. This project was cancelled
when Atari was sold to Jack Tramiel.
Despite having the capability to support sound chips in cartridges, almost no 7800 cartridges feature POKEY
hardware for enhanced sound. Ballblazer, released in 1987, uses the POKEY to generate all music and sound effects.
Similarly, Commando, released in 1989, uses a POKEY to generate in-game music while the TIA generates the
game's sound effects for a total of 6 channels of sound.
Atari 7800
126
Lockout features
Following the debate over Custer's Revenge, an Atari 2600 VCS title with adult themes, Atari had concerns over
similar adult titles finding their way onto the 7800 and displaying adult graphics on the significantly improved
graphics of the MARIA chip. To combat this, they included a digital signature protection method which prevented
unauthorized 7800 games from being played on the system.
When a cartridge was inserted into the system, the 7800 BIOS included code which would generate a digital
signature of the cartridge ROM and compare it to the signature stored on the cartridge. If a correct signature was
located on the cartridge, the 7800 would operate in 7800 mode, granting the game access to MARIA and other
features. If a signature was not located, the 7800 remained in 2600 mode and MARIA was unavailable. All 7800
games released in North America had to be digitally signed by Atari. This digital signature code is not present in
PAL 7800s, which use various heuristics to detect 2600 cartridges, due to export restrictions.Wikipedia:Citation
needed The signing utility was found and released by Classic Gaming Expo in 2001.
Backward compatibility
The Atari 7800 differs from the 2600 in several key areas. It features a full Atari SALLY 6502 processor whereas the
2600 VCS has a stripped down 6507 processor running at a slower speed. It has additional RAM (Random Access
Memory) and the ability to access more cartridge data at one time than the 2600. The most substantial difference,
however, is a graphics architecture which differs markedly from either the Atari 2600 VCS or Ataris 8-bit line of
computers.
The 7800's compatibility with the Atari 2600 is made possible by including many of the same chips used in the Atari
2600. When operating in 2600 mode to play Atari 2600 titles, the 7800 uses a Television Interface Adapter (TIA)
chip to generate graphics and sound. The processor is slowed to 1.19MHz, enabling the 7800 to mirror the
performance of the 2600s stripped-down 6507 processor. RAM is limited to 128 bytes found in the RIOT and game
data is accessed in 4K blocks.
When in 7800 mode (signified by the appearance of the full screen Atari logo), the graphics are generated entirely
by the MARIA graphics processing unit, all system RAM is available and game data is accessed in larger 48K
blocks. The systems SALLY 6502 runs at its normal 1.79MHz instead of the reduced speed of 2600 mode. The
2600 chips are used in 7800 mode to generate sound as well as switch and controller interfaces.
The Atari 7800 does not support backward compatibility for Atari 5200 games or accessories.
System revisions
Prototypes:
Atari 3600, original model number
Atari CX-9000 Video Computer System
Production:
Atari CX7800, two joystick ports on lower front panel. Side expansion port for upgrades and add-ons. Bundled
accessories included two CX24 Pro-Line joysticks, AC adapter, switchbox, RCA connecting cable, and Pole
Position II cartridge.
Atari CX7800, second revision. Slightly revised motherboard, added an additional timing circuit. Expansion port
connector removed from motherboard but is still etched. Shell has indentation of where expansion port was to be.
Atari CX7800, third revision. Same as above but with only a small blemish on the shell where the expansion port
was.
Atari 7800
127
Peripherals
The gamepad of the Atari 7800.
The Atari 7800 came bundled with the Atari Proline Joystick, a
two button controller with a joystick for movement. In response to
criticism over ergonomic issues in the 7800s Pro-Line controllers,
Atari later released joypad controllers with European 7800s, which
were similar in style to controllers found on Nintendo and Sega
Systems. The Joypad was not available in the United States.
Unlike the NES or Sega Master System, there were few add-on
peripherals for the 7800, though its backwards compatibility
feature allowed it to be compatible with most Atari 2600
peripherals.
The most notable exception was the XG-1 lightgun, which came bundled with the Atari XE Game System. The
XG-1 was fully compatible with the 7800 and was sold separately for other Atari systems. Atari released four 7800
light gun games: Alien Brigade, Crossbow, Meltdown, and Barnyard Blaster.
Canceled peripherals
Due to the acquisition of the Atari Consumer Division by Jack Tramiel in 1984, a number of planned peripherals for
the system were canceled.
The High Score Cartridge was designed to save player high scores for up to 65 separate games. The cartridge was
intended as a pass-through device (similar to the later Game Genie). Nine games were programmed with the
feature but the cartridge was canceled before it was released. In 1999, a limited run of cartridges were produced
by Atari historian Curt Vendel using ROM code from Gary Rubio (the former Atari liaison to GCC on the Atari
7800 project). This feature has been included in many homebrew releases in recent years.
The 7800 included an expansion port which would have allowed for the addition of a planned computer keyboard,
connection to laserdisc players and other peripherals. The expansion port was removed in the second and third
revisions of the 7800.
A dual joystick holder was designed for games like Robotron 2084 and future games like Battlezone and others,
but not produced.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Software library
See also: List of Atari 7800 games and List of Atari 2600 games
Atari 7800 with Donkey Kong Junior
cartridge
While the 7800 can actually play hundreds of titles due to its compatibility with
the Atari 2600, there was limited third party support for the 7800 and fewer than
100 titles were specifically designed for it.
Unreleased games
As with most game consoles, there were many more games in development for
the 7800 than were actually released. However, very few prototypes have been
located, due to Tramiel Ataris reluctance to make them in the first place. Atari
7800 prototypes tend to be highly coveted by collectors, often fetching hundreds
of dollars when sold. Some collectors are unwilling to share the rare items publicly as doing so is assumed to
decrease the value of their prototype.
Nonetheless, some unreleased Atari 7800 games, as well as early versions of released games have been released to
the public. A few have been manufactured and sold.
Atari 7800
128
These include
Klax (Programmed by Blue Sky Software). The game was nearly completed when canceled. For years, it was
traded privately until a ROM was made available to the general public. Later, the developer appeared to create
additional levels for the community.
Gato (Programmed by Ibid Inc Software). Released on the XE Game System, an Atari 7800 version was started
but not completed beyond a simple demo.
Missing in Action (Programmed by Sculptured Software for TNT Games). A side scrolling adventure that was
about 85% complete when cancelled. The game is mostly playable with some later collision detection issues
requiring cheats to get past.
Pit-Fighter (Programmed by Imagitec Design). An early demo of the game has been found, with crude graphics,
no sound and poor collision detection.
Rescue on Fractalus! (Programmed by GCC). A conversion of the popular computer game was released by GCC
in 2004. The game was partially complete with a running engine but no enemies.
Other 7800 games remain lost, despite indications that development occurred. The most notable of these are
Skyfox (shown on the back of the original system box) and Electrocop (artwork has since been uncovered).
Engineering Notes list Tempest as a game that was between 1520% completed for the Atari 7800; no code to date
has been found. The Atari Museum located and posted unreleased box art and notes for a 7800 version of Crystal
Castles, but no code to date has been found for that game, either. Atari's earlier 7800 games listing showed Millipede
as one of the games in the line up; however, it does not appear that it was ever started or worked on.
Source code release
The source code for 13 games, as well as the OS and development tools (for the Atari ST computer system) were
discovered in a dumpster behind the Atari building in Sunnyvale, California.
[10]
Commented assembly language
source code was made available for Centipede, Commando, Crossbow, Desert Falcon, Dig Dug, Food Fight,
Galaga, Hat Trick, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man, Super Stunt Cycle, Robotron: 2084 and Xevious game titles.
[11]
Emulation and homebrew
When emulators of 1980s video game consoles began to appear on home computers in the late 1990s, the Atari 7800
was one of the last to be emulated. The lack of awareness of the system, the lack of understanding of the hardware,
and fears about the digital signature lockout initially caused concerns. Since that time, however, the 7800 has been
emulated successfully and is now common on emulation sites. One such program is ProSystem, written in C/C++ for
the Microsoft Windows operating system. It uses the Windows API and DirectX to display what it emulates in both
PAL and NTSC.
The digital signature long prevented homebrew games from being developed until the original encryption generating
software was discovered. When the original digital signature generating software was turned over to the Atari
community, development of new Atari 7800 titles began. In addition, the Atari community has slowly uncovered the
original 7800 development tools and released them into the public domain. New tools, documentation, source code
and utilities for development have since been created which has sponsored additional homebrew development.
Several new commercial Atari 7800 titles such as Beef Drop, B*nQ, Pac Man Collection, Combat 1990, Santa
Simon, and Space War have been created and released.
System compatible hardware has also been produced for the system. Among these was the Cuttle Cart II, a device
that allowed the Atari 7800 to read MMC cards containing binary files of Atari 7800 programs. The Cuttle Cart II
has enabled more people to play the entire 2600 and 7800 library on an original system as well as binaries of
unreleased games and new homebrew titles. The Cuttle Cart II was a success by homebrew standards, selling out
both production runs and commanding high prices on eBay.
Atari 7800
129
A more recent development is the Atari 7800 expansion module developed by Legacy Engineering with a high
scores save feature (with compatible games), additional RAM capabilities, as well as vastly improved sound
capabilities using the POKEY and YM2151 sound chips. The Expansion module is designed as a pass-through
device that sits on top of the console and requires no system modding.
Atari Flashback
In 2004, Atari (now owned by Infogrames) released the first Atari Flashback console. This system resembled a
miniature Atari 7800 and joysticks and had 20 built in games (five 7800 and fifteen 2600 titles). While the unit sold
well, it was controversial among Atari fans. Atari had given the engineering firm, Legacy Engineering, extremely
limited development timelines. The firm was forced to build the Flashback using NES-On-A-Chip hardware instead
of recreating the Atari 7800 hardware. As a result, the Flashback has been criticized for failing to properly replicate
the actual Atari gaming experience.
Legacy Engineering was later commissioned to create another 7800 project that was subsequently cancelled after
prototypes were made.
[12]
References
[1] " Atari Video Game Unit Introduced (http:/ / query.nytimes. com/ gst/ fullpage. html?sec=technology&
res=9F06E5D7163BF931A15756C0A962948260)", New York Times
[2] Matthew, Matt (May 26, 2009). Atari 7800 Sales Figures (1986 - 1990) (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ blogs/ MattMatthews/ 20090526/
1521/ Atari_7800_Sales_Figures_1986__1990.php), Gamasutra.
[3] Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time: Atari 7800 is Number 17 (http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-25-consoles/ 17. html), IGN.
[4] AtariAge: Atari 7800 History (http:/ / atariage. com/ 7800/ history. html), AtariAge.
[5] (2009). Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time: Atari 7800 is Number 17 (http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-25-consoles/ 17. html), IGN.
[6] [6] [Retrogamer Magazine, Issue #78, pp 53.]
[7] [7] [Retrogamer Magazine, Issue #78, pp 57]
[8] Atari, Sega, and Nintendo Plan Comeback for Video Games - HFD: The Weekly Home Furnishings Newspaper (http:/ / tnca. myrmid. com/
art9. htm)
[9] http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ ahs_archives/ archives/ archives-techdocs-7800. htm
[10] AtariMuseum - Site News: June 11, 2009 (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ whatsnew/ 2009-JUN-11. html), retrieved July 3, 2009
[11] "7800 Games & Development" (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 7800/ games/ ) at The Atari History Museum
website (http:/ / www. atarimuseum.com/ ), retrieved July 3, 2009
[12] (http:/ / www. legacyengineer.com/ portfolio-7800. html) Legacy 7800 remade
External links
Atari 7800 Games Review Guide (http:/ / www. retrovideogamer. co. uk/ index. php?page=reviews;)
AtariAge Comprehensive Atari 7800 database and information (http:/ / www. atariage. com/ software_search.
html?SystemID=7800)
Atari 7800 Information & Resources (http:/ / www. atari7800. org)
Atari Museum Technical files archive (http:/ / archives. atarimuseum. com/ archives/ archives-techdocs-7800.
htm)
Atari Museum Full History of the Atari 7800 (http:/ / www. atarimuseum. com/ videogames/ consoles/ 7800/
7800menu/ )
BBC Bridge Companion
130
Manufacturer Heber
Generation Third generation (8-bit era)
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Zilog Z80
Controller input Keypad
The BBC Bridge Companion is an 8-bit video game console for teaching bridge. It was launched by BBC
Enterprises Ltd in the United Kingdom in 1985. The system retailed for 199.99.
List of cartridges
Advanced Bidding
Advanced Defence
Bridge Builder
Club Play 1
Club Play 2
Club Play 3
Conventions 1
Duplicate 1
Master Play 1
References
External links
Profile of Andrew Kambites, BBC Bridge Companion programmer. (http:/ / www. ebu. co. uk/ node/ 293)
Commodore 64 Games System
131
Commodore 64GS
Manufacturer Commodore International
Generation Third generation (8-Bit era)
Release date December1990
Media Cartridge
The Commodore 64 Games System (often abbreviated C64GS) was the cartridge-based game console version of
the popular Commodore 64 home computer. It was released by Commodore in December 1990 as a competitor in the
booming console market. It was only released in Europe and was a considerable commercial failure.
The C64GS came bundled with a cartridge with four games: Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun, International Soccer,
Flimbo's Quest and Klax.
The C64GS was not Commodore's first gaming system based on the C64 hardware. However, unlike the 1982 MAX
Machine (a game-oriented computer based on a very cut-down version of the same hardware family), the C64GS
was internally very similar to the "proper" C64 with which it was compatible.
Available software
Support from games companies was limited, as many were
unconvinced that the C64GS would be a success in the console market.
Ocean Software was the most supportive, offering a wide range of
titles, some C64GS cartridge-based only, offering features in games
that would have been impossible on cassette-based games, others
straight ports of C64 games. Domark and System 3 also released a
number of titles for the system, and conversions of some Codemasters
and MicroProse games also appeared. Denton Designs also released
some games, among them Bounces, which was released in 1985.
The software bundled with the C64GS, a four-game cartridge
containing Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun, International Soccer, Flimbo's Quest and Klax, were likely the most
well-known on the system. These games, with the exception of International Soccer, were previously ordinary
tape-based games, but their structure and control systems (no keyboard needed) made them well-suited to the new
console. International Soccer was previously released in 1983 on cartridge for the original C64 computer.
Ocean produced a number of games for the C64GS, among them a remake of Double Dragon (which seemed to be
more linked to the NES version than the original C64 cassette version), Navy SEALS, Robocop 2, Robocop 3, Chase
HQ 2: Special Criminal Investigation, Pang, Battle Command, Toki, Shadow of the Beast and Lemmings. They also
produced Batman The Movie for the console, but this was a direct conversion of the cassette game, evidenced by the
screens prompting the player to "press PLAY" that briefly appeared between levels. Some of the earliest Ocean
cartridges had a manufacturing flaw, where the connector was placed too far back in the cartridge case. The end
132
result was that the cartridge could not be used with the standard C64 computer. Members of Ocean staff had to
manually drill holes in the side of the cartridges to make them fit.
System 3 released Last Ninja Remix and Myth: History in the Making, although both were also available on cassette.
Domark also offered two titles, Badlands and Cyberball, which were available on cartridge only.
Through publisher The Disc Company a number of Codemasters and MicroProse titles were also reworked and
released as compilations for the C64GS. Fun Play featured three Codemasters titles: Fast Food Dizzy, Professional
Skateboard Simulator and Professional Tennis Simulator. Power Play featured three MicroProse titles: Rick
Dangerous, Stunt Car Racer and MicroProse Soccer, although Rick Dangerous was produced by Core Design, not
MicroProse themselves. Stunt Car Racer and MicroProse Soccer needed to be heavily modified to enable them to
run on the C64GS.
Uncharacteristically, Commodore never produced or published a single title for the C64GS beyond the bundled
four-game cartridge. International Soccer was the only widely available game for the C64GS but had actually been
written for the C64.
Hardware-based problems
The C64GS was plagued with problems from the outset. Firstly, despite the wealth of software already available on
cartridge for C64, the lack of a keyboard meant that most could not be used with the console. This meant that people
often bought secondhand C64 software on cartridge only to find that the games were not compatible. The C64
version of Terminator 2: Judgment Day was designed for the console, but was included on a cartridge that required
the user to press a key to access the game, rendering it unplayable.
To partially counter the lack of a keyboard, the basic control system for the C64GS was a joystick supplied by
Cheetah called the Annihilator. This joystick, while using the standard Atari 9-pin plug, offered two independent
buttons, with the second button located on the base of the joystick. This 9-pin plug was standard of many systems of
the era, and the joysticks were fundamentally compatible with the ZX Spectrum's Kempston Interface and the Sega
Master System. The Cheetah Annihilator joystick was poorly built, had a short life, and was not widely available,
making replacements difficult to come by.
Primary reasons for failure
Prior to the console's release, Commodore had generated a great deal of marketing hype to generate interest in an
already crowded market. Zzap! 64, a Commodore 64 magazine of the era, reported that Commodore had promised
"up to 100 titles before December", even though December was two months from the time of writing. In reality 28
games were produced for the console during its shelf life - most of which were compilations of older titles, and a
majority of which were from Ocean. Of those 28 titles, only 9 were cartridge exclusive titles, the remainder being
ports of older cassette-based games.
While most of the titles that Ocean announced did appear for the GS (with the notable exception of Operation
Thunderbolt), a number of promises from other publishers failed to materialize. Although Thalamus, The Sales
Curve, Mirrorsoft and Hewson had expressed an interest, nothing ever materialized from these firms. Similar
problems plagued rival company Amstrad when they released their GX4000 console the same year.
There were other reasons attributed to the failure of the C64GS, the major ones being the following:
Poor software support: Most existing software on cartridge did not function well with the C64GS, and
enthusiasm from publishers was low. Ocean Software, Codemasters, System 3, MicroProse and Domark
developed titles for the system, but probably only because the games were compatible with the original C64,
providing the titles with a commercial safety net in case the C64GS failed. And failure to reprogram the games for
use with the cut-back system was another blame for the fault.
133
The C64 computer: The C64GS was essentially a cut-back version of the original Commodore 64, and the games
developed for it could also be run on the original computer. The C64 was already at an affordable price, and the
C64GS was sold for the same. People preferred to keep with the original C64, particularly since the cassette
versions of games could often be picked up for a fraction of the cost of the cartridge versions, and did not seem to
mind the much longer loading times as much as Commodore had perhaps banked on.
Obsolete technology: The C64 was introduced in 1982; by 1990 the technology was way past its prime.
An already saturated console market: The 8-bit C64GS entered the market in 1990 parallel to newer 16-bit
consoles such as the Mega Drive and the Super Nintendo. The Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Master
System were already dominating the market with more popular titles, and did so until around 1992.
TV hookup, joystick support and cartridge slots were already found on regular C64 machines. Hence normal C64s
were already recognized as "game consoles" despite looking more like a home computer with an integrated
keyboard.
Commodore eventually shipped the four-game cartridge and Cheetah Annihilator joysticks in a bundle with standard
Commodore 64 computer. Several years later Commodore's next attempt at a games console, the Amiga CD32,
encountered many of the same problems although overall it was a lot more successful than the C64GS.
The specifications of the C64GS is a subset of those of the C64, the main differences being the leaving out of the
unnecessary user port, serial bus port, and tape drive port. These ports are in fact present, the system board being the
C64C's board, but simply not exposed at the rear.
Internal hardware
Microprocessor CPU:
MOS Technology 8500 (the 6510/8500 being a modified 6502 with an integrated 6-bit I/O port)
Clock speed: 0.985MHz (PAL)
RAM:
64 KB (65,535 bytes).
0.5 KB Color RAM
ROM:
20 KB (7 KB KERNAL, 4 KB character generator providing two 2 KB character sets)
The ROM contains two important differences to a standard C64 ROM. The first is that switching on the machine
without a cartridge present results in a character-based animation asking the user to insert a cartridge. The second is
an additional set of windowing commands, designed to compensate for the lack of a keyboard. However, there is no
known software that uses it.
Video hardware: MOS Technology VIC-II MOS 8569 (PAL)
16 colors
Text mode: 4025; user-defined characters; smooth scrolling
Bitmap modes: 320200, 160200 (multicolor)
8 hardware sprites, 2421 pixels
Sound hardware: MOS Technology 8580 "SID"
3 voices, ADSR programmable.
4 Waveforms: Triangle, Sawtooth, Variable Pulse, Noise
Oscillator Synchronization, Ring modulation
Programmable Filter: High Pass, Low Pass, Band Pass, Notch Filter
134
I/O and power supply
I/O ports:
High-quality Y/C (S-Video) (8-pin DIN plug) with chroma/luma out and sound in + out, used with some
Commodore video monitors (DIN-to-phono plug converter delivered with monitor).
Composite video (one-signal video output to monitor included in aforementioned 8-pin DIN plug, and separate
integrated RF modulator antenna output, which also carries sound, to TV on an RCA socket)
2 screwless DE9M game controller ports (Atari 2600 de facto standard, supporting one digital joystick each)
Cartridge slot (44-pin slot for edge connector with 6510 CPU address/data bus lines and control signals, as
well as GND and voltage pins;
[1]
used for program modules)
Power supply: 5V DC and 9V AC from external "monolithic power brick", attached to computer's 7-pin female
DIN-connector
References
[1] The Hardware Book (http:/ / www. hardwarebook. info/ C64_Cartridge_Expansion)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Commodore 64 GS.
"The C64 Console!" / "Inside the future: The C64GS" (http:/ / www. zzap64. co. uk/ zzap66/ thec64gs. html)
By Ed Stu, Zzap 64 magazine, issue 66, October 1990
The Commodore C64 Games System (http:/ / www. zimmers. net/ cbmpics/ c64gs. html) Photos and
information from Bo Zimmermann's collection
8Bit-Homecomputermuseum (http:/ / www. 8bit-homecomputermuseum. at/ computer/
commodore_c64_games_system. html) Nice pictures of the C64GS
Dina
135
Dina
Dina
Manufacturer Bit Corporation
Media Cartridge
The Dina is a video game console originally manufactured by Bit Corporation, later sold in the United States by
Telegames as the Telegames Personal Arcade. It is a clone of the ColecoVision and the Sega SG-1000 consoles, with
one cartridge slot for each platform. Telegames never advertised its compatibility with the
SG-1000,Wikipedia:Citation needed and it is rumored that the Sega SG-1000 cartridge slot is disabled on the
Telegames Personal Arcade.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Hardware
The Dina's controllers are modeled after the D-pads made famous by the Nintendo Entertainment System. Controller
cables are attached to the side of the controllers, making them difficult to grasp comfortably. Since the controllers
are too small to possess numeric keypads, a single numeric keypad is present on the console itself. Any
ColecoVision game that requires two keypads cannot be used. A difference in the Dina's controller wiring prevents
use of Coleco's Roller Controller and Super Action Controllers and games dependent on either controller.
The Dina does not include the ColecoVision expansion module interface; ColecoVision games that rely on
expansion modules cannot be used.
Software
The Telegames Personal Arcade includes the built-in game, Meteoric Shower. The ColecoVision's boot screen is
replaced with Japanese writing and the words "1986 BIT CORPORATION" on a green background.
Incompatible games
Hardware incompatibility
Fortune Builder (needs 2 separate keypads in two-player, head-to-head mode)
Front Line (Super Action Controller game)
Rocky Super Action Boxing (Super Action Controller game)
Slither (Roller Controller game)
Super Action Baseball (Super Action Controller game)
Super Action Football (Super Action Controller game)
Super Action Soccer (Super Action Controller game)
Dina
136
Super Cobra (second button to "bomb" does not work)
Turbo (Driving Module Game)
Victory (Roller Controller game)
Slither (Roller Controller game)
Keypad-intensive games
Aquattack
Blockade Runner
Mouse Trap
Spy Hunter
WarGames
Halcyon
137
Halcyon
Halcyon
Manufacturer RDI Video Systems
Generation Third Generation
Discontinued Late 1985
Media Laser Disc
CPU Z80
The Halcyon is a home video game console released in January 1985 by RDI Video Systems. The initial retail price
for the system was US$2500, and it featured a laserdisc player and attached computer, each the size of an
early-model VCR. Only two games were released for the system before RDI went bankrupt: Thayer's Quest and NFL
Football LA Raiders vs SD Chargers, although trailers for several others were created. RDI Video Systems claimed
that the system would be entirely voice-activated, and would have an artificial intelligence on par with HAL 9000
from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
History
Rick Dyer was one of the many fans of the interactive fiction game Adventure. He envisioned a game that would
feature illustrations of every scene in this game, the first prototype being a roll of printing calculator tape that would
be wound forward and backward via microprocessor to show illustrations and information drawn on its surface.
Later this was refined to a slightly different technology of a filmstrip projector, which was later synchronized to a
tape recording of a narrator reading the text normally shown by the game as the player entered each scene.
With the advent of the videodisc player, Dyer realized he could consolidate onto one medium the audio and visual
content, which was called The Fantasy Machine. Presentations of this device to prospective toy manufacturers failed.
Later it was realized that still images with narration were insufficient to capture the toy market, so animation projects
began. The first project was titled The Secrets of the Lost Woods,[1] which included a section known as the Dragon's
Lair; this latter portion would go on to be developed into its own game.
Dragon's Lair and Space Ace supplied enough profits and credibility for RDI Video Systems to progress toward
realizing their technology into a home entertainment and edutainment format.
To help control the consumer price of this unit, it was first designed around the RCA Capacitance Electronic Disc
player. When RCA canceled the production of these players prior to the completion of the Halcyon project, it was
re-designed to use a laserdisc. One of the biggest obstacles in this re-design (after its significantly higher cost) was
the short 30-minute-per-side capacity of Constant Angular Velocity or random access laserdiscs.
Suffering from a retail price tag that would discourage consumers and content that would require several laserdiscs
to contain, investors and manufacturers saw little success in the future of Halcyon. Its few hand-assembled
prototypes went into the hands of certain investors and collectors. Well-known names among these investors
included Merv Griffin, Quinn Martin and Cassandra Peterson.
Ironically, Dragon's Lair was not part of Halcyon's initial content repertoire. The Secrets of the Lost Woods footage
was used to develop firmware for the unit prior to Fred Wolf's production of the Thayer's Quest animation.
Halcyon
138
Technical details
Hardware
Halcyon was based around the Z80 microprocessor, with its 64K memory partitioned out to ROM and RAM. A
separate speech recognition computer provided the additional power needed to recognize human speech. Its firmware
was proprietary, and its chief communications with the Z80 were indications of what word it had recognized, and
what probability of confidence it calculated for the match. Other functions this subsystem provided were non-volatile
memory storage, and speech recognition training.
Video content existed on a special computer-controlled CED player provided by RCA. Because of video encoding
and stylus positioning constraints inherent in this technology, still frames (where action would be suspended pending
player input) had to be encoded as a repeat of 2 or 3 seconds of video. Late in its development, Halcyon had to be
re-designed to use Laserdisc players because CED units were put out of production by RCA.
Communications with CED players were serial. Communications with Laserdisc players were via infrared LED
attached via suction cup.
Speech synthesis was produced using a licensed text-to-speech algorithm included as part of the base Halcyon
Operating System, including a special English vocabulary which would correctly pronounce hundreds of proper
names. The phonetic output of this algorithm was fed into a Votrax chip.
Software
Firmware unique to the game being played existed as a removable ROM cartridge containing 16K memory,
including the entire game node layout, vocabulary of the game (both for the speech synthesizer and speech
recognizer), inventory data (both for gameplay as well as video still frames depicting items), and certain executable
data sections to assist in the processing of game flow.
Save for the words "Yes" and "No," Halcyon required each player to train it to recognize their voice. The words
"Yes" and "No" existed as 4 samples of human voices pre-loaded into memory. Two were female samples, and two
were male. Each voice was selected for their unique pitch and timbre properties. These 4 gave a high probability
match for Halcyon to recognize from any given English speaker.
Speech recognition was discontiguous, meaning the player had only a few seconds to speak into a headset when
prompted. This headset was equipped with a noise-canceling microphone to help isolate speech from any other
sounds. Speech samples would be compared against allowed responses, and a match along with probability of
accuracy would be sent to the Halcyon main processor.
To acknowledge voice commands, Halcyon would reiterate what it believed it "heard" the player say. This
sometimes resulted in incorrect actions taken, especially if the player had a significantly different inflection or spoke
something different from the choices expected. Probability ranking could trigger Halcyon to ask the player to repeat
their choice when it received a poor match to all expected responses. Mis-recognitions were chiefly the result of a
sample of speech given sufficient probability to match one of the anticipated words or phrases.
Halcyon was intended to have a voice much like the Hal 9000, but memory constraints prohibited the use of tailored
speech parameters for the Votrax synthesizer that was built into the console. The compromise was to use a licensed
text-to-speech algorithm that had several built-in rules for pronouncing English text properly. For speech the console
made that the algorithm did not pronounce acceptably, special spelling was incorporated into the source text of
words and phrases to correct for these problems. This would not correct the words (user names, primarily) that were
typed into the Halcyon when a player first began playing the game.
A video game would follow a general design of "nodes" which interconnected based upon responses and lack of
responses from a player. Certain triggers, such as a real-time constraint under which the game would be interrupted
if its associated event did not occur, were also part of the game's dynamic.
Halcyon
139
Scenes existed as 2 or more scripts: One for the "normal" or first encounter with the scene; one for subsequent visits;
optionally one or two for where certain actions required the scene animation or graphics to deviate, usually where an
item has been removed or used.
A scene had to be identical in animation and graphics between its normal and subsequent visit, differing only in the
audio track used. For this reason, lip sync was not required to be included in the animation, often resulting in
speaking characters having their mouths obscured or speaking with their backs turned.
A scene with an item used or removed would have separate animation and graphics, allowing for 2 additional audio
tracks, again without lip sync.
Audio tracks were encoded into the left and right channels of a stereo encoding, therefore only monaural audio
would be played from any given instance of a scene.
Almost all scenes in a game would have some information revealed that would contribute to solving the puzzle of
obtaining the final goal of the game. Since Halcyon needed to keep track of first versus subsequent visits, a count of
visits (up to a maximum of 15) would be used to trigger its speech synthesized hints and comments. One example
from Thayer's Quest would be the direct instruction to take the right door when the wrong door (leading to instant
death) was chosen more than once.
To break up the monotony of robotic speech, Halcyon was given prompt and response phrases that had markers that
would include interchangeable words and phrases, along with the Player's name which it would include occasionally.
"Enter your name on my keyboard" and "Please spell your name" would be two examples of phrases it would use to
prompt the player.
Halcyon's game authoring method would easily accommodate playing Dragon's Lair, except for the restraint that
speech recognition would take too long to process each move before the time allowed would expire, limiting it to
keyboard-only use. This game's inclusion was not considered for this reason as well as license restrictions.
Each player's game record was represented in non-volatile memory as the set of items they had in their inventory, the
visit counters of all possible nodes in the game (unvisited nodes having a count of zero), the scene toggle
information (item used/taken/etc.), applicable timers (real-time events would suspend when games were saved), and
their trained speech sampled data. To resume play, all one had to do was speak their name when asked to do so by
Halcyon.
References
1. ^ http:/ / www. awn. com/ mag/ issue1. 1/ articles/ dyer. html Interview with Rick Dyer
External links
Dragon's Lair Project entry on the Halcyon
[2]
Halcyon Flyer
[3]
The Computer Chronicles episode featuring Halcyon
[4]
References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Halcyon_(console)#endnote_SOTLW
[2] http:/ / www. dragons-lair-project. com/ community/ related/ homesystems/ halcyon/
[3] http:/ / www. handheldmuseum. com/ Misc/ RDIHalcyonFlyer. htm
[4] http:/ / www. archive. org/ details/ Lasersan1985
LJN Video Art
140
LJN Video Art
Video Art was an educational game console from LJN Toys, introduced in 1987. Similar in functionality to basic
personal computer paint programs such as MacPaint or Microsoft Paint, the platform offered interactive coloring
book-style games, as well as math, history, and science lessons, starring characters such as Mickey Mouse.
LJN marketed the console not as a competitor to other contemporary game consoles, but rather as a competitor to
TV, with a jingle:
If you're like me,
you spend all day just watching TV.
But then my mama, she got smart!
She got me Video Art!
The system came packaged with the Video Art Activity Package. Other cartridges available for the system included:
A Trip To The Zoo
Disney Coloring Book
Disney Story Book
Looney Tunes
Marvel Super-Heroes
My Dream Day
My Favorite Doll
On the Move
External links
Page from Video Game Bible
[1]
References
[1] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=PnPRd6QwvbQC& pg=PA354& lpg=PA354& dq=LJN+ video+ art& source=bl& ots=X5S_fvJVNP&
sig=SvXTsraf4pxCu1Rm4ciabq5Rpys& hl=en& sa=X& oi=book_result& resnum=6& ct=result
NEMO
141
NEMO
The Control-Vision (originally codenamed NEMO)
[1]
was an unreleased video game console developed by Tom
Zito. It was notable for using VHS tapes rather than ROM cartridges.
History
Initial development began in 1985 and was supported by Nolan Bushnell's company Axlon. The team created a
prototype which used a modified ColecoVision console to combine interactive images with a video stream
transmitted through a cable. As a storage medium Nemo employed VHS tapes that contained computer data and
multiple tracks of video and audio.
To take the project beyond prototype status they searched for a partner who would fund further development. The
Hasbro toy company agreed to invest $7 million in exchange for the video game rights to the technology.
Three short trial games were finished by the middle of 1986:
Scene of the Crime, a four-minute interactive mystery,
Bottom of the Ninth Inning, a baseball game, and
an interactive music video for the Cars' song You Might Think.
The next step was the interactive movie Night Trap. In 1987, Zito created the second full-size game named Sewer
Shark. After filming for Sewer Shark was done, Hasbro abandoned the project. Zito purchased the rights to the
games and stored everything in a Rhode Island warehouse.
Legacy
It wasn't until the early 1990s that the CD-ROM as a suitable storage medium for video games with FMV became
available. Sega was looking for content for the 1992 introduction of the Sega CD accessory. They got in touch with
Zito who created versions of Sewer Shark and Night Trap for Sega CD through his Digital Pictures company. Ports
to other systems would follow.
Footage of a presentation of a NEMO prototype to Hasbro executives can be found in the Sega CD version of Night
Trap when entering a cheat code. This footage is from December 1987, recorded in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (the
hometown of Hasbro). Lawrence H. Bernstein, working for Milton Bradley Company at that time, plays Scene of the
Crime, the prototype of Night Trap.
Sources
Steven L. Kent: The Ultimate History of Video Games. Three Rivers Press / Random House, 2001. ISBN
0-7615-3643-4. of interest are the sections:
Axlon, A.G. Bear, and Nemo - p.271276
The Birth of Digital Pictures p.453455
References
[1] http:/ / revrob. com/ sci-a-tech-topmenu-52/ 112-where-are-they-now-nolan-bushnells-axlon
External links
VHS: The Future of Gaming (https:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20120812022704/ http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/
articles/ june03/ dumbestmoments/ index6. shtml) at GameSpy
NEMO
142
YouTube video of the hidden scene in the Sega CD game Night Trap (https:/ / www. youtube. com/
watch?v=u1ZY7_rsAGg) (Read 2011-10-27)
Nintendo Entertainment System
"NES" and "Famicom" redirect here. For other uses, see NES (disambiguation).
"Family Computer" redirects here. For the 1977 VideoBrain product, see VideoBrain Family Computer.
Top: Nintendo Entertainment System with controller
Bottom: Nintendo Family Computer
Also known as Family Computer/Famicom (Japan)
Hyundai Comboy (Korea)
Developer Nintendo / RICOH
Manufacturer Nintendo
Release date
JP
July15,1983
NA
October18,1985
EU
September1,1986
a[]
EU/AUS
1987
a[]
143
Introductory price 14,800 (Japan)
$299.00 (US Deluxe Set)
Discontinued
NA
August14,1995
[1]
JP
September 2003
[2]
Units sold Worldwide: 61.91 million
Japan: 19.35 million
North America: 34.00 million
Europe & Australia: 8.56 million
Media
ROM cartridge ("Game Pak")
b[]
CPU Ricoh 2A03 8-bit processor (MOS Technology 6502 core)
Controller input
2 controller ports
c[]
1 expansion slot
Best-selling game Super Mario Bros. (pack-in), 40.23 million (as of 1999)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (pack-in), 18 million (as of July 27,
2008)
Super Mario Bros. 2,
10 million
Predecessor Color TV Game
Successor Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (also abbreviated as NES) is an 8-bit video game console that was developed
and manufactured by Nintendo. It was initially released in Japan as the Family Computer (
Famir KonpytaHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) (also known as the Famicom (
FamikonHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) and abbreviated as FC) on July 15, 1983, and was later
released in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986, and Australia in 1987. In South Korea, it was known
as the Hyundai Comboy ( ) and was distributed by SK Hynix which then was known as Hyundai
Electronics. It was succeeded by the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
The best-selling gaming console of its time,
e[]
the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the
video game crash of 1983. With the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard business model of licensing
third-party developers, authorizing them to produce and distribute titles for Nintendo's platform.
In 2009, the Nintendo Entertainment System was named the single greatest video game console in history by IGN,
out of a field of 25. It was the second greatest console behind only the Sega Dreamcast in PC magazines "Top 10
video game consoles of all time".
[3]
History
Development
Main article: History of the Nintendo Entertainment System
Following a series of arcade game successes in the early 1980s, Nintendo made plans to create a cartridge-based
console called the Famicom. Masayuki Uemura designed the system. Original plans called for an advanced 16-bit
system which would function as a full-fledged computer with a keyboard and floppy disk drive, but Nintendo
president Hiroshi Yamauchi rejected this and instead decided to go for a cheaper, more conventional cartridge-based
game console as he felt that features such as keyboards and disks were intimidating to non-technophiles. A test
model was constructed in October 1982 to verify the functionality of the hardware, after which work began on
programming tools. Because 65xx CPUs had not been manufactured or sold in Japan up to that time, no
144
cross-development software was available and it had to be produced from scratch. Early Famicom games were
written on a system that ran on an NEC PC-8001 computer and LEDs on a grid were used with a digitizer to design
graphics as no software design tools for this purpose existed at that time.
The code name for the project was "GameCom", but Masayuki Uemura's wife proposed the name "Famicom",
arguing that "In Japan, 'pasokon' is used to mean a personal computer, but it is neither a home or personal computer.
Perhaps we could say it is a family computer." Meanwhile, Hiroshi Yamauchi decided that the console should use a
red and white theme after seeing a billboard for DX Antenna which used those colors.
Original plans called for the Famicom's cartridges to be the size of a cassette tape, but ultimately they ended up being
twice as big. Careful design attention was paid to the cartridge connectors since loose and faulty connections often
plagued arcade machines. As it necessitated taking 60 connection lines for the memory and expansion, Nintendo
decided to produce their own connectors in-house rather than use ones from an outside supplier.
The game pad controllers were more-or-less copied directly from the Game & Watch machines, although the
Famicom design team originally wanted to use arcade-style joysticks, even taking apart ones from American game
consoles to see how they worked. However, it was eventually decided that children might step on joysticks left on
the floor and their durability was also questioned. Katsuyah Nakawaka attached a Game & Watch D-pad to the
Famicom prototype and found that it was easy to use and had no discomfort. Ultimately though, they did install a
15-pin expansion port on the front of the console so that an arcade-style joystick could be used optionally. The
controllers were hard-wired to the console with no connectors for cost reasons.
Uemura added an eject lever to the cartridge slot which was not really necessary, but he felt that children could be
entertained by pressing it. He also added a microphone to the second controller with the idea that it could be used to
make players' voices sound through the TV speaker.
[4]
Release
The console was released on July 15, 1983 as the Famicom (lit. Family Computer) for 14,800 alongside three ports
of Nintendo's successful arcade games Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Popeye. The Famicom was slow to
gather momentum; a bad chip set caused the initial release of the system to crash. Following a product recall and a
reissue with a new motherboard, the Famicoms popularity soared, becoming the best-selling game console in Japan
by the end of 1984.
Encouraged by these successes, Nintendo soon turned its attention to the North American market. Nintendo entered
into negotiations with Atari to release the Famicom under Ataris name as the name Nintendo Advanced Video
Gaming System. The deal was set to be finalized and signed at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in June
1983. However, Atari discovered at that show that its competitor Coleco was illegally demonstrating its Coleco
Adam computer with Nintendo's Donkey Kong game. This violation of Atari's exclusive license with Nintendo to
publish the game for its own computer systems delayed the implementation of Nintendo's game console marketing
contract with Atari. Atari's CEO Ray Kassar was fired the next month, so the deal went nowhere, and Nintendo
decided to market its system on its own.
g[]
Subsequent plans to market a Famicom console in North America featuring a keyboard, cassette data recorder,
wireless joystick controller and a special BASIC cartridge under the name "Nintendo Advanced Video System"
likewise never materialized. By the beginning of 1985, the Famicom had sold more than 2.5 million units in Japan
and Nintendo soon announced plans to release it in North America as the Advanced Video Entertainment System
(AVS) that same year. The American video game press was skeptical that the console could have any success in the
region, with the March 1985 issue of Electronic Games magazine stating that "the videogame market in America has
virtually disappeared" and that "this could be a miscalculation on Nintendo's part."
At June 1985's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Nintendo unveiled the American version of its Famicom. This is
the system which would eventually be officially deployed as the Nintendo Entertainment System, or the colloquial
"NES". Nintendo seeded these first systems to limited American test markets starting in New York City on October
145
18, 1985, following up with a full-fledged North American release of the console in February of the following year.
Nintendo released 18 launch titles: 10-Yard Fight, Baseball, Clu Clu Land, Duck Hunt, Donkey Kong Jr. Math,
Excitebike, Golf, Gyromite, Hogans Alley, Ice Climber, Kung Fu, Mach Rider, Pinball, Stack-Up, Tennis, Wild
Gunman, Wrecking Crew, and Super Mario Bros..
h[]
Some varieties of these launch games contained Famicom chips
with an adapter inside the cartridge so they would play on North American consoles, which is why the title screen of
"Gyromite" has the Famicom title "Robot Gyro" and the title screen of "Stack-Up" has the Famicom title "Robot
Block".
R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy), an accessory
for the NES's 1985 launch. Although it ended up
having a short product lifespan, R.O.B. was
initially used to market the NES as novel and
sophisticated compared to previous game
consoles.
The system was originally targeted for release in the spring of 1985,
but the release date was pushed back. After test-marketing in the New
York City area in late fall, retailers had reportedly stated the system
"failed miserably". Nintendo tried a second time, the system was
test-marketed further beginning in February 1986, with the nationwide
release occurring in September 1986.
For more details on this topic, see History of the Nintendo
Entertainment System North America.
The system's launch represented not only a new product, but also a
reframing of the severely damaged home video game market segment
as a whole. The video game market crash of 1983 had occurred in
significant part due to a lack of consumer and retailer confidence in
video games, which had in turn been due partially to confusion and
misrepresentation in the marketing of video games. Prior to the NES,
the packaging of many video games presented bombastic artwork
which exaggerated the graphics of the actual game. In terms of product
identity, a single game such as Pac-Man would appear in many
versions on many different game consoles and computers, with large
variations in graphics, sound, and general quality between the versions.
By stark contrast, Nintendo's marketing strategy aimed to regain
consumer and retailer confidence, by delivering a singular platform whose technology was not in need of heavy
exaggeration and whose qualities were clearly defined.
To differentiate Nintendo's new home platform from the early 1980s' common perception of a beleaguered and
frivolous video game market, the company freshened its product nomenclature and positioning, and it established a
rigorous product approval and licensing policy. The overall system was referred to as an "Entertainment System"
instead of a "video game system", which was centered upon a machine called a "Control Deck" instead of a
"console", and which featured software cartridges called "Game Paks" instead of "video games". The 10NES lockout
chip system acted as a lock-and-key coupling of each Game Pak and Control Deck, deterring the copying or
production of NES games which had not first achieved Nintendo's licensed approval. The packaging of the launch
lineup of NES games bore pictures of a very close representation of the actual onscreen graphics of the game, which
were of sufficiently recognizable quality on their own. Symbols on the launch games' packaging clearly indicated the
genre of the game, in order to reduce consumer confusion. A 'seal of quality' was printed on all appropriately
licensed game and accessory packaging. The initial seal stated, "This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has
approved and guaranteed the quality of this product". This text was later changed to "Official Nintendo Seal of
Quality".
For more details on this topic, see Nintendo Entertainment System Third-party licensing.
Unlike with the Famicom, Nintendo of America marketed the console primarily to children, instituting a rather strict
policy of censoring profanity, sexual, religious, or political content in games. The most famous case of this was
Lucasfilm's attempts to port Maniac Mansion (a game with a considerable amount of unacceptable material) to the
146
NES. NOA continued their censorship policy until 1994 with the advent of the Entertainment Software Rating Board
system.
The optional Robotic Operating Buddy, or R.O.B., was part of a marketing plan to portray the NES's technology as
being novel and sophisticated when compared to previous game consoles, and to portray its position as being within
reach of the better established toy market. While at first, the American public exhibited limited excitement for the
console itself, peripherals such as the light gun and R.O.B. also attracted extensive attention.
[5]
In Europe and Australia, the system was released to two separate marketing regions. One region consisted of most of
mainland Europe (excluding Italy), and distribution there was handled by a number of different companies, with
Nintendo responsible for most cartridge releases. Most of this region saw a 1986 release. Mattel handled distribution
for the other region, consisting of the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Australia and New Zealand, starting the
following year. Not until the 1990s did Nintendo's newly created European branch direct distribution throughout
Europe.
The Nintendo Entertainment System's Control
Deck
For its complete North American release, the Nintendo Entertainment
System was progressively released over the ensuing years in four
different bundles: the Deluxe Set, the Control Deck, the Action Set and
the Power Set. The Deluxe Set, retailing at US$199.99 (equivalent to
$474 in 2014), included R.O.B., a light gun called the NES Zapper, two
controllers, and two Game Paks: Gyromite, and Duck Hunt. The Basic
Set, retailing at US$89.99 with no game, and US$99.99 bundled with
"Super Mario Bros." The Action Set, retailing in 1988 for US$149.99,
came with the Control Deck, two game controllers, an NES Zapper,
and a dual Game Pak containing both Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt. In 1989, the Power Set included the
console, two game controllers, a NES Zapper, a Power Pad, and a triple Game Pak containing Super Mario Bros,
Duck Hunt, and World Class Track Meet. In 1990, a Sports Set bundle was released, including the console, an NES
Satellite infrared wireless multitap adapter, four game controllers, and a dual Game Pak containing Super Spike
V'Ball and Nintendo World Cup. Two more bundle packages were later released using the original model NES
console. The Challenge Set of 1992 included the console, two controllers, and a Super Mario Bros. 3 Game Pak for a
retail price of US$89.99. The Basic Set, first released in 1987, was repackaged for a retail US$89.99. It included
only the console and two controllers, and no longer was bundled with a cartridge. Instead, it contained a book called
the Official Nintendo Player's Guide, which contained detailed information for every NES game made up to that
point.
Finally, the console was redesigned for both the North American and Japanese markets as part of the final
Nintendo-released bundle package. The package included the new style NES-101 console, and one redesigned
"dogbone" game controller. Released in October 1993 in North America, this final bundle retailed for US$49.99 and
remained in production until the discontinuation of the NES in 1995.
Reception
By 1988 industry observers stated that the NES's popularity had grown so quickly that the market for Nintendo
cartridges was larger than that for all home computer software. Compute! reported in 1989 that Nintendo had sold
seven million NES systems in 1988, almost as many as the number of Commodore 64s sold in its first five years.
"Computer game makers [are] scared stiff", the magazine said, stating that Nintendo's popularity caused most to have
poor sales during the previous Christmas and resulting in serious financial problems for some. By 1990 30% of
American households owned the NES, compared to 23% for all personal computers.
Despite the systems lackluster performance outside of Japan and North America, by 1990 the NES had outsold all
previously released consoles worldwide.WP:NOTRS The slogan for this brand was It can't be beaten. The Nintendo
Entertainment System was not available in the Soviet Union.
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As the 1990s dawned, however, renewed competition from technologically superior systems such as the 16-bit Sega
Mega Drive/Genesis marked the end of the NESs dominance. Eclipsed by Nintendo's own Super Nintendo
Entertainment System (SNES), the NESs user base gradually waned. However, even as developers ceased
production for the NES, a number of high-profile video game franchises and series that started on the NES were
transitioned to newer consoles and remain popular to this day. The last game released in Japan was Takahashi Meijin
no Bken Jima IV (Adventure Island IV), while in North America, Wario's Woods was the last licensed game;
unlicensed games are still being produced to this day. In the wake of ever decreasing sales and the lack of new
software titles, Nintendo of America officially discontinued the NES by 1995. Despite this, Nintendo of Japan kept
producing new Nintendo Famicom units until September 2003, and continued to repair Famicom consoles until
October 31, 2007, attributing the decision to discontinue support because of insufficient supplies of parts.
Legacy
The NES was released after the "video game crash" of the early '80s, whereupon many retailers and adults had
regarded electronic games as being merely a passing fad, and many believed at first that the NES was another fad.
Before the NES/Famicom, Nintendo was known as a moderately successful Japanese toy and playing card
manufacturer, and the popularity of the NES/Famicom helped the company grow into an internationally recognized
name almost synonymous with video games and set the stage for Japanese dominance of the video game industry.
With the NES, Nintendo also changed the relationship of console manufacturers and third-party software developers
by restricting developers from publishing and distributing software without licensed approval. This led to higher
quality software titles, which helped to change the attitude of a public that had grown weary from poorly produced
titles for other game systems of the day.
The NES hardware was also very influential. Nintendo chose the name "Nintendo Entertainment System" for the US
market and redesigned the system so it would give the appearance of a child's toy. The front-loading cartridge input
allowed it to be used more easily in a TV stand with other entertainment devices, such as a video cassette player.
[6]
There were many prominent game franchises that originated on the NES. The system's hardware limitations led to
game design similarities that still influence video game design and culture. Some of the more important franchises
that debuted on the NES were Nintendo's own Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, Capcom's
Mega Man franchise, Konami's Castlevania franchise, Square's Final Fantasy
[7]
and Enix's Dragon Quest
[8]
franchises. All of these still exist today.
NES imagery, especially its controller, has become a popular motif for a variety of products, including Nintendo's
own Game Boy Advance. Clothing, accessories, and food items adorned with NES-themed imagery are still
produced and sold in stores. Such items include hats, shirts, underwear, wallets, wrist-bands, belt buckles, tins
containing mint candy, and energy drinks.
Games
See also: List of Nintendo Entertainment System games, List of Family Computer games and List of Family
Computer Disk System games
The Nintendo Entertainment System offered a number of groundbreaking titles. Super Mario Bros. pioneered
side-scrollers while The Legend of Zelda helped popularize battery-backed save functionality.
Game Pak
Main article: Nintendo Entertainment System Game Pak
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North American and European NES
cartridges (or "Game Paks") are
significantly larger than Japanese
Famicom cartridges.
The NES uses a 72-pin design, as compared with 60 pins on the Famicom. To
reduce costs and inventory, some early games released in North America were
simply Famicom cartridges attached to an adapter to fit inside the NES hardware.
Originally, NES cartridges were held together with five small slotted screws.
Games released after 1987 were redesigned slightly to incorporate two plastic
clips molded into the plastic itself, removing the need for the top two screws.
The back of the cartridge bears a label with instructions on handling. Production
and software revision codes were imprinted as stamps on the back label to
correspond with the software version and producer. With the exception of The
Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, manufactured in
gold-plastic carts, all licensed NTSC and PAL cartridges are a standard shade of
gray plastic. Unlicensed carts were produced in black, robin egg blue, and gold,
and are all slightly different shapes than standard NES cartridges. Nintendo also
produced yellow-plastic carts for internal use at Nintendo Service Centers,
although these "test carts" were never made available for purchase. All licensed US cartridges were made by
Nintendo, Konami and Acclaim. For promotion of DuckTales: Remastered, Capcom sent 150 limited-edition gold
NES cartridges with the original game, featuring the Remastered art as the sticker, to different gaming news
agencies. The instruction label on the back included the opening lyric from the show's theme song, "Life is like a
hurricane".
Japanese (Famicom) cartridges are shaped slightly differently. While the NES used a 72-pin interface, the Famicom
system used a 60-pin design. Unlike NES games, official Famicom cartridges were produced in many colors of
plastic. Adapters, similar in design to the popular accessory Game Genie, are available that allow Famicom games to
be played on an NES. In Japan, several companies manufactured the cartridges for the Famicom. This allowed these
companies to develop their own customized chips designed for specific purposes, such as chips that increased the
quality of sound in their games.
Third-party licensing
Nintendo's near monopoly on the home video game market left it with a degree of influence over the industry.
Unlike Atari, which never actively courted third-party developers (and even went to court in an attempt to force
Activision to cease production of Atari 2600 games), Nintendo had anticipated and encouraged the involvement of
third-party software developers; strictly, however, on Nintendo's terms.
[9]
Some of the Nintendo platform-control
measures were adopted by later console manufacturers such as Sega, Sony, and Microsoft, although not as stringent.
To this end, a 10NES authentication chip was placed in every console and another was placed in every officially
licensed cartridge. If the console's chip could not detect a counterpart chip inside the cartridge, the game would not
load. Nintendo portrayed these measures as intended to protect the public against poor-quality games, and placed a
golden seal of approval on all licensed games released for the system.
Nintendo was not as restrictive as Sega, which did not permit third-party publishing until Mediagenic in late summer
1988. Nintendo's intention, however, was to reserve a large part of NES game revenue for itself. Nintendo required
that they be the sole manufacturer of all cartridges, and that the publisher had to pay in full before the cartridges for
that game be produced. Cartridges could not be returned to Nintendo, so publishers assumed all the risk. As a result,
some publishers lost more money due to distress sales of remaining inventory at the end of the NES era than they
ever earned in profits from sales of the games. Because Nintendo controlled the production of all cartridges, it was
able to enforce strict rules on its third-party developers, which were required to sign a contract by Nintendo that
would obligate these parties to develop exclusively for the system, order at least 10,000 cartridges, and only make
five games per year. A 1988 shortage of DRAM and ROM chips also reportedly caused Nintendo to only permit
25% of publishers' requests for cartridges. This was an average figure, with some publishers receiving much higher
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amounts and others almost none. GameSpy noted that Nintendo's "iron-clad terms" made the company many
enemies during the 1980s. Some developers tried to circumvent the five game limit by creating additional company
brands like Konami's Ultra Games label; others tried circumventing the 10NES chip.
Further information: Unlicensed games
Nintendo was accused of antitrust behavior because of the strict licensing requirements. The United States
Department of Justice and several states began probing Nintendo's business practices, leading to the involvement of
Congress and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC conducted an extensive investigation which included
interviewing hundreds of retailers. During the FTC probe, Nintendo changed the terms of its publisher licensing
agreements to eliminate the two-year rule and other restrictive terms. Nintendo and the FTC settled the case in April
1991, with Nintendo required to send vouchers giving a $5 discount off to a new game, to every person that had
purchased a NES title between June 1988 and December 1990. GameSpy remarked that Nintendo's punishment was
particularly weak giving the case's findings, although it has been speculated that the FTC did not want to damage the
video game industry in the United States.
In the longer run, however, with the NES near its end of its life many third-party publishers such as Electronic Arts
supported upstart competing consoles with less onerous licensing terms such as the Sega Genesis and then the
PlayStation, which eroded and then took over Nintendo's dominance in the home console market, respectively.
Indeed consoles from Nintendo's rivals in the post-SNES era had always enjoyed much stronger third-party support
than Nintendo which relied more heavily on first-party games.
Unlicensed games
Several companies, refusing to pay the licensing fee or having been rejected by Nintendo, found ways to circumvent
the console's authentication system. Most of these companies created circuits that used a voltage spike to temporarily
disable the 10NES chip in the NES. A few unlicensed games released in Europe and Australia came in the form of a
dongle that would be connected to a licensed game, in order to use the licensed game's 10NES chip for
authentication. In order to combat unlicensed games, Nintendo of America threatened retailers who sold them with
losing their supply of licensed titles. In addition, multiple revisions were made to the NES PCBs to prevent these
games from working.
Unlicensed games, such as Wisdom
Tree's Bible Adventures, were often
released in cartridges which looked
very different from typical NES
Game Paks.
Atari Games created a line of NES products under the name Tengen and took a
different approach. The company attempted to reverse engineer the lockout chip
to develop its own "Rabbit" chip. However, Tengen also obtained a description
of the lockout chip from the United States Patent and Trademark Office by
falsely claiming that it was required to defend against present infringement
claims in a legal case. Nintendo sued Tengen for copyright infringement, which
Tengen lost as it could not prove that the legally obtained patent documents had
not been used by the reverse engineering team. Tengen's antitrust claims against
Nintendo were never finally decided.
Color Dreams produced Christian video games under the subsidiary name
Wisdom Tree. They were never sued by Nintendo as the company probably
feared a public relations backlash.
Emulation
Further information: List of video game emulators Nintendo Entertainment System
The NES can be emulated on many other systems, most notably the PC. One of the earliest
emulatorsNESticleoffered its initial release as NESticle v0.2 on April 3, 1997. There have since been many
other emulators. The Virtual Console for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U also offers emulation of many NES
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games.
Game Rentals
As the Nintendo Entertainment System grew in popularity and entered millions of American homes, some small
video rental shops began buying their own copies of NES games, and renting them out to customers for around the
same price as a video cassette rental for a few days. Nintendo received no profit from the practice beyond the initial
cost of their game, and unlike movie rentals, a newly released game could hit store shelves and be available for rent
on the same day. Nintendo took steps to stop game rentals, but didn't take any formal legal action until Blockbuster
Video began to make game rentals a large-scale service. Nintendo claimed that allowing customers to rent games
would significantly hurt sales and drive up the cost of games.
[10]
Nintendo lost the lawsuit,
[11]
but did win on a claim
of copyright infringement.
[12]
Blockbuster was banned from including original, copyrighted instruction booklets with
their rented games. In compliance with the ruling, Blockbuster produced their own short instructionsusually in the
form of a small booklet, card, or label stuck on the back of the rental boxthat explained the game's basic premise
and controls. Video rental shops continued the practice of renting video games and still do today.
There were some risks with renting cartridge-based games, however. Most rental shops did not clean the connectors
and they would become dirty over time. Renting and using a cartridge with dirty connectors posed a problem for
consoles, especially the Nintendo Entertainment System which was particularly susceptible to operation problems
and failures when its internal connectors became dirty (see the Design flaws section below).
Hardware
Configurations
Although the Japanese Famicom, North American and European NES versions included essentially the same
hardware, there were certain key differences among the systems.
The original Japanese Famicom was predominantly white plastic, with dark red trim. It featured a top-loading
cartridge slot and grooves on both sides of the deck in which the hardwired game controllers could be placed when
not in use. The Famicom featured a top-loading cartridge slot, a 15-pin expansion port located on the units front
panel for accessories (as the controllers were hard-wired to the back of the console) and a red and white color
scheme.
The original NES, meanwhile, featured a front-loading cartridge covered by a small, hinged door that can be opened
to insert or remove a cartridge and closed at other times. It features a more subdued gray, black, and red color
scheme. An expansion port was found on the bottom of the unit and the cartridge connector pinout was changed.
In the UK, Italy and Australia which share the PAL A
[13]
region, two versions of the NES were released; the "Mattel
Version" and "NES Version". When the NES was first released in those countries, it was distributed by Mattel and
Nintendo decided to use a lockout chip specific to those countries, different from the chip used in other European
countries. When Nintendo took over European distribution in 1990, they produced consoles that were then labelled
"NES Version"; therefore, the only differences between the two are the text on the front flap and texture on the
top/bottom of the casing.
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The NES-101 control deck alongside its similarly
redesigned NES-039 game controller.
The NES-101 model of the Nintendo Entertainment System, known
informally as the "top-loader", uses the same basic color scheme,
although there are several subtle differences. Like the original Family
Computer, it uses a top-loading cartridge slot. The NES-101 model
was redesigned after the (also top loading) SNES and indeed they share
many of the same design cues.
Design flaws
The official NES Cleaning Kit was intended to
address flaws in the NES design that caused
cartridge connectors to be particularly susceptible
to interference from dirt and dust.
When Nintendo released the NES in the US, the design styling was
deliberately different from that of other game consoles. Nintendo
wanted to distinguish its product from those of competitors and to
avoid the generally poor reputation that game consoles had acquired
following the video game crash of 1983. One result of this philosophy
was to disguise the cartridge slot design as a front-loading zero
insertion force (ZIF) cartridge socket, designed to resemble the
front-loading mechanism of a VCR. The newly designed connector
worked quite well when both the connector and the cartridges were
clean and the pins on the connector were new. Unfortunately, the ZIF
connector was not truly zero insertion force. When a user inserted the
cartridge into the NES, the force of pressing the cartridge down and
into place bent the contact pins slightly, as well as pressing the
cartridges ROM board back into the cartridge itself. Frequent insertion
and removal of cartridges caused the pins to wear out from repeated usage over the years and the ZIF design proved
more prone to interference by dirt and dust than an industry-standard card edge connector. These design issues were
not alleviated by Nintendos choice of materials; the console slot nickel connector springs would wear due to design
and the game cartridge copper connectors were also prone to tarnishing. Many players would try to alleviate issues in
the game caused by this corrosion by blowing into the cartridges, then reinserting them, but the success of this
method was spotty. In fact, it actually hurt the copper connectors by speeding up the tarnishing.
The 10NES authentication chip contributed to the
system's reliability problems. The circuit was
ultimately removed from the remodeled NES 2.
Lockout
The Famicom contained no lockout hardware and, as a result,
unlicensed cartridges (both legitimate and bootleg) were extremely
common throughout Japan and the Far East. The original NES (but not
the top-loading NES-101) contained the 10NES lockout chip, which
significantly increased the challenges faced by unlicensed developers.
Tinkerers at home in later years discovered that disassembling the NES
and cutting the fourth pin of the lockout chip would change the chips
mode of operation from "lock" to "key", removing all effects and
greatly improving the consoles ability to play legal games, as well as bootlegs and converted imports. NES consoles
sold in different regions had different lockout chips, so games marketed in one region would not work on consoles
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from another region. Known regions are: USA/Canada (3193 lockout chip), most of Europe (3195), Asia (3196) and
UK, Italy and Australia (3197). Since two types of lockout chip were used in Europe, European NES game boxes
often had an "A" or "B" letter on the front, indicating whether the game is compatible with UK/Italian/Australian
consoles (A), or the rest of Europe (B). Rest-of-Europe games typically had text on the box stating "This game is not
compatible with the Mattel or NES versions of the Nintendo Entertainment System". Similarly, UK/Italy/Australia
games stated "This game is only compatible with the Mattel or NES versions of the Nintendo Entertainment
System".
Pirate cartridges for the NES were rare, but Famicom ones were common and widespread in Asia. Most were
produced in Hong Kong or Taiwan, and they usually featured a variety of small (32k or less) games which were
selected from a menu and bank switched. Some were also hacks of existing games (especially Super Mario Bros.),
and a few were cartridge conversions of Famicom Disk System titles such as the Japanese SMB2.
Problems with the 10NES lockout chip frequently resulted in the console's most infamous problem: the blinking red
power light, in which the system appears to turn itself on and off repeatedly because the 10NES would reset the
console once per second. The lockout chip required constant communication with the chip in the game to work.
Dirty, aging and bent connectors would often disrupt the communication, resulting in the blink effect. Alternatively,
the console would turn on but only show a solid white, gray, or green screen. Users attempted to solve this problem
by blowing air onto the cartridge connectors, inserting the cartridge just far enough to get the ZIF to lower, licking
the edge connector, slapping the side of the system after inserting a cartridge, shifting the cartridge from side to side
after insertion, pushing the ZIF up and down repeatedly, holding the ZIF down lower than it should have been,
cleaning the connectors with alcohol. These attempted solutions often became notable in their own right and are
often remembered alongside the NES. Many of the most frequent attempts to fix this problem instead ran the risk of
damaging the cartridge and/or system. Wikipedia:Citation needed In 1989, Nintendo released an official NES
Cleaning Kit to help users clean malfunctioning cartridges and consoles.
With the release of the top-loading NES-101 (NES 2) toward the end of the NES's lifespan, Nintendo resolved the
problems by switching to a standard card edge connector and eliminating the lockout chip. All of the Famicom
systems used standard card edge connectors, as did Nintendos subsequent game consoles, the Super Nintendo
Entertainment System and the Nintendo 64.
In response to these hardware flaws, "Nintendo Authorized Repair Centers" sprang up across the U.S. According to
Nintendo, the authorization program was designed to ensure that the machines were properly repaired. Nintendo
would ship the necessary replacement parts only to shops that had enrolled in the authorization program. In practice,
the authorization process consisted of nothing more than paying a fee to Nintendo for the privilege. In a recent trend,
many sites have sprung up to offer Nintendo repair parts, guides, and services that replace those formerly offered by
the authorized repair centers.
The NES plastic also had a tendency to yellow over time.
Main article: Nintendo Entertainment System technical specifications
For its central processing unit (CPU), the NES uses an 8-bit microprocessor produced by Ricoh based on a MOS
Technology 6502 core.
The NES contains 2KiB of onboard work RAM. A game cartridge may contain expanded RAM to increase this
amount. The size of NES games varies from 8 KiB (Galaxian) to 1 MiB (Metal Slader Glory), but 128 to 384KiB
was the most common.
The NES uses a custom-made Picture Processing Unit (PPU) developed by Ricoh. All variations of the PPU feature
2KiB of video RAM, 256bytes of on-die "object attribute memory" (OAM) to store the positions, colors, and tile
indices of up to 64 sprites on the screen, and 28bytes of on-die palette RAM to allow selection of background and
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sprite colors. The console's 2KiB of onboard RAM may be used for tile maps and attributes on the NES board and
8KiB of tile pattern ROM or RAM may be included on a cartridge. The system has an available color palette of 48
colors and 6 grays. Up to 25 simultaneous colors may be used without writing new values mid-frame: a background
color, four sets of three tile colors and four sets of three sprite colors. The NES palette is based on NTSC rather than
RGB values. A total of 64 sprites may be displayed onscreen at a given time without reloading sprites mid-screen.
The standard display resolution of the NES is 256 horizontal pixels by 240 vertical pixels.
Video output connections varied from one model of the console to the next. The original HVC-001 model of the
Family Computer featured only radio frequency (RF) modulator output. When the console was released in North
America and Europe, support for composite video through RCA connectors was added in addition to the RF
modulator. The HVC-101 model of the Famicom dropped the RF modulator entirely and adopted composite video
output via a proprietary 12-pin "multi-out" connector first introduced for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo
Entertainment System. Conversely, the North American re-released NES-101 model most closely resembled the
original HVC-001 model Famicom, in that it featured RF modulator output only. Finally, the PlayChoice-10 utilized
an inverted RGB video output.
The stock NES supports a total of five sound channels, two of which are pulse channels with 4 pulse width settings,
one is a triangle wave generator, another is a noise generator (often used for percussion), and the 5th one plays
low-quality digital samples.
The NES supports expansion chips contained in certain cartridges to add sound channels and help with data
processing. Developers can add these chips to their games, such as the Konami VRC6, Konami VRC7, Sunsoft 5B,
Namco 163, and two more by Nintendo itself: the Nintendo FDS wave generator (a modified Ricoh RP2C33 chip
with primitive wavetable support), and the Nintendo Memory Management Controller 5 (MMC5).
[14]
Further information: Memory management controller
Accessories
See also: List of Nintendo Entertainment System accessories
In addition to featuring a revised color scheme
that matched the more subdued tones of the
console itself, NES controllers could be
unplugged. They nevertheless lacked the
microphone featured in Famicom controllers.
Controllers
The game controller used for both the NES and the Famicom featured
an oblong brick-like design with a simple four button layout: two
round buttons labeled "A" and "B", a "START" button and a
"SELECT" button. Additionally, the controllers utilized the
cross-shaped joypad, designed by Nintendo employee Gunpei Yokoi
for Nintendo Game & Watch systems, to replace the bulkier joysticks
on earlier gaming consoles controllers.
The original model Famicom featured two game controllers, both of
which were hardwired to the back of the console. The second
controller lacked the START and SELECT buttons, but featured a
small microphone. Relatively few games made use of this feature. The
earliest produced Famicom units initially had square A and B buttons.
This was changed to the circular designs because of the square buttons being caught in the controller casing when
pressed down and glitches within the hardware causing the system to freeze occasionally while playing a game.
The NES dropped the hardwired controllers, instead featuring two custom 7-pin ports on the front of the console.
Also in contrast to the Famicom, the controllers included with the NES were identical to each otherthe second
controller lacked the microphone that was present on the Famicom model and possessed the same START and
SELECT buttons as the primary controller. Some NES localizations of games, such as The Legend of Zelda, which
154
required the use of the Famicom microphone in order to kill certain enemies, suffered from the lack of hardware to
do so.
The NES Zapper, a light gun accessory
A number of special controllers designed for use with specific games
were released for the system, though very few such devices proved
particularly popular. Such devices included, but were not limited to,
the Zapper (a light gun), the R.O.B., and the Power Pad. The original
Famicom featured a deepened DA-15 expansion port on the front of
the unit, which was used to connect most auxiliary devices. On the
NES, these special controllers were generally connected to one of the
two control ports on the front of the console.
Nintendo also made two turbo controllers for the NES called NES
Advantage and the NES Max. Both controllers had a Turbo feature, a feature where one tap of the button represented
multiple taps. This feature allowed players to shoot much faster during shooter games. The NES Advantage had two
knobs that adjusted the firing rate of the turbo button from quick to Turbo, as well as a "Slow" button that slowed
down the game by rapidly pausing the game. The "Slow" button did not work with games that had a pause menu or
pause screen and can interfere with jumping and shooting. The NES Max also had the Turbo Feature, but it was not
adjustable, in contrast with the Advantage. It also did not have the "Slow" button. Its wing-like shape made it easier
to hold than the Advantage and it also improved on the joystick. Turbo features were also featured on the NES
Satellite, the NES Four Score, and the U-Force. Other accessories include the Power Pad and the Power Glove,
which was featured in the movie "The Wizard."
Near the end of the NES's lifespan, upon the release of the AV Famicom and the top-loading NES 2, the design of
the game controllers was modified slightly. Though the original button layout was retained, the redesigned device
abandoned the brick shell in favor of a dog bone shape. In addition, the AV Famicom joined its international
counterpart and dropped the hardwired controllers in favor of detachable controller ports. However, the controllers
included with the Famicom AV had cables which were 90cm (3 feet) long, as opposed to the standard 180cm(6
feet) of NES controllers.
In recent years, the original NES controller has become one of the most recognizable symbols of the console.
Nintendo has mimicked the look of the controller in several recent products, from promotional merchandise to
limited edition versions of the Game Boy Advance.
Japanese accessories
A number of peripheral devices and software packages were released for the Famicom. Few of these devices were
ever released outside of Japan.
Family BASIC is an implementation of BASIC for the Famicom that came with a keyboard. Similar in concept to
the Atari 2600 BASIC cartridge, it allowed the user to program their own games, which could be saved on an
included cassette recorder. Nintendo of America rejected releasing Famicom BASIC in the US because they did not
think it fit their primary marketing demographic of children.
The Famicom Modem is a modem that allowed connection to a network which provided content such as financial
services, but it was only available in Japan. A modem was, however, tested in the United States, by the Minnesota
State Lottery. It would have allowed players to buy scratchcards and play the lottery with their NES. It was not
released in the United States because some parents and legislators voiced concern that minors might learn to play the
lottery illegally and anonymously, despite assurances from Nintendo to the contrary.
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Disk System
The Famicom Disk System was a peripheral
available only for the Japanese Famicom that
used games stored on "Disk Cards" with a 3"
Quick Disk mechanism.
Main article: Family Computer Disk System
In 1986, Nintendo released the Famicom Disk System (FDS) in Japan,
a type of floppy drive that uses a single-sided, proprietary 5cm (2")
disk and plugs into the cartridge port. It contains RAM for the game to
load into and an extra wavetable sound chip. The disks were originally
obtained from kiosks in malls and other public places where buyers
could select a title and have it written to the disk. This process would
cost less than cartridges and users could take the disk back to a vending
booth and have it rewritten with a new game. The disks were used both
for storing the game and saving progress and total capacity was 128k
(64k per side).
Further information: Famicom disk system Disk Writer and Disk Fax
kiosks
A variety of games for the FDS were released by Nintendo (including
some like Super Mario Bros. which had already been released on cartridge) and third party companies such as
Konami and Taito. A few unlicensed titles were made as well. However, its limitations became quickly apparent as
larger ROM chips were introduced, allowing cartridges with greater than 128k of space. More advanced memory
management chips (MMC) soon appeared and the FDS quickly became obsolete. Nintendo also charged developers
considerable amounts of money to produce FDS games, and many refused to develop for it, instead continuing to
make cartridge titles. Many FDS disks have no dust covers (except in some unlicensed and bootleg variants) and are
easily prone to getting dirt on the media. In addition, the drive use a belt which breaks frequently and requires
invasive replacement. After only two years, the FDS was discontinued, although vending booths remained in place
until 1993 and Nintendo continued to service drives, and to rewrite and offer replacement disks until 2003.
Nintendo of America initially planned to bring the FDS to the United States, but rejected the idea after considering
the numerous problems encountered with them in Japan. Many FDS games such as Castlevania, Zelda, and Bubble
Bobble were sold in the US as cartridge titles, with simplified sound and the disk save function replaced by
passwords or battery save systems.
Hardware clones
Pirated clones of NES hardware remained in
production for many years after the original had
been discontinued. Some clones play cartridges
from multiple systems, such as this FC Twin that
plays NES and SNES games.
Main article: Nintendo Entertainment System hardware clone
A thriving market of unlicensed NES hardware clones emerged during
the climax of the console's popularity. Initially, such clones were
popular in markets where Nintendo never issued a legitimate version of
the console. In particular, the Dendy (Russian: ), an unlicensed
hardware clone produced in Taiwan and sold in the former Soviet
Union, emerged as the most popular video game console of its time in
that setting and it enjoyed a degree of fame roughly equivalent to that
experienced by the NES/Famicom in North America and Japan. A
Famicom clone was marketed in Argentina under the name of "Family
Game", resembling the original hardware design. The Micro Genius
(Simplified Chinese: ) was marketed in Southeast Asia as an alternative to the Famicom; Samurai was the
popular PAL alternative to the NES; and in Central Europe, especially Poland, the Pegasus was available.
[15]
Samurai was also available in India in early 90s which was the first instance of console gaming in India.
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The unlicensed clone market has flourished following Nintendo's discontinuation of the NES. Some of the more
exotic of these resulting systems have gone beyond the functionality of the original hardware and have included
variations such as a portable system with a color LCD (e.g. PocketFami). Others have been produced with certain
specialized markets in mind, such as an NES clone that functions as a rather primitive personal computer, which
includes a keyboard and basic word processing software. These unauthorized clones have been helped by the
invention of the so-called NES-on-a-chip.
As was the case with unlicensed software titles, Nintendo has typically gone to the courts to prohibit the manufacture
and sale of unlicensed cloned hardware. Many of the clone vendors have included built-in copies of licensed
Nintendo software, which constitutes copyright infringement in most countries.
Although most hardware clones were not produced under license by Nintendo, certain companies were granted
licenses to produce NES-compatible devices. The Sharp Corporation produced at least two such clones: the Twin
Famicom and the SHARP 19SC111 television. The Twin Famicom was compatible with both Famicom cartridges
and Famicom Disk System disks. It was available in two colors (red and black) and used hardwired controllers (as
did the original Famicom), but it featured a different case design. The SHARP 19SC111 television was a television
which included a built-in Famicom. A similar licensing deal was reached with Hyundai Electronics, who licensed the
system under the name Comboy in the South Korean market. This deal with Hyundai was made necessary because of
the South Korean government's wide ban on all Japanese "cultural products", which remained in effect until 1998
and ensured that the only way Japanese products could legally enter the South Korean market was through licensing
to a third-party (non-Japanese) distributor (see also JapanKorea disputes).
NES Test Station
The NES Test station (Lower Left), SNES
counter tester (Lower Right), SNES test cart
(Upper Right), And the original TV that came
with the unit (Upper Left).
The NES Test Station was a diagnostics machine for the Nintendo
Entertainment System introduced in 1988.
It was a NES-based unit designed for testing NES hardware,
components and games. It was only provided for use in World of
Nintendo boutiques as part of the Nintendo World Class Service
program. Visitors were to bring items to test on the station, often with
assistance from a technician or store employee.
The NES Test Station features a Game Pak slot and connectors for
testing various components (AC adapter, RF switch, Audio/Video
cable, NES Control Deck, accessories and games) at the front, with a
knob selector in the center to select the component to test. The unit
itself weighs approximately 11.7 pounds without the TV. It securely
hooks up to the television through both AV Cables and RF Switch in one cable. The user can choose which output to
use for gameplay by pressing the RF/AV for Audio/Video Cable connection, or leave it unpressed for RF Switch
connection. The television it's hooked up to (normally 11 to 14 inches) is meant to be placed on top of it. On the
front edge are three colored button switches: an illuminated red Power switch, a blue Reset switch and a green
switch for alternating between AV and RF connections when testing an NES Control Deck. This system can test:
157
Nes test station AC adapter Pass/Fail test
demonstration.
Game Paks (When set to this, the test station would run like a
normal nes.)
Control Deck and Accessories (NES Controllers, the NES Zapper
Gun, R.O.B. and Power Pad)
AV Cables
AC Adapters
RF Switches
The testing of the RF, AV, and AC adapters simply displays the
selected output's results as either 'Pass' or 'Fail' when plug in to the test
station.
There was a manual included with the test station to help the user understand how to use the equipment or to make
repairs. This manual came in a black binder with the Nintendo world class service logo on the front. Nintendo
ordered the older manuals destroyed when an updated manual was sent out to the repair centers due to these manuals
being an in house secret.
Nintendo later provided an add-on in 1991 for testing Super Nintendo components and games, named the Super NES
Counter Tester. The SNES counter tester is a standard super Nintendo mounted on a metal fixture with the
connection from the back of the SNES rerouted to the front of the unit. These connections were connected directly to
the test station or TV depending on what was being tested.
Notes
â:For distribution purposes, Europe and Australasia were divided into two regions by Nintendo. The first of these
regions consisted of France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden and saw the NES
released during 1986. The console was released in the second region, consisting of the United Kingdom, the
Republic of Ireland, and Italy, as well as Australia and New Zealand, in 1987.
^b:In Japan, Nintendo sold an optional expansion peripheral for the Famicom, called the Famicom Disk System,
which would enable the console to run software from proprietary floppy disks.
^c:The original Famicom included no dedicated controller ports. See game controllers section.
ê:The NES was the overall best-selling system worldwide of its time. In Japan and the United States, it controlled
85 to 90 percent of the market. It was not as successful in Europe, where it was at in most ten to twelve percent of
households. Nintendo sold 61.9 million NES units worldwide: 19.35 million in Japan, 34 million in the Americas
and 8.5 million in other regions.
^f:The commonly bundled game Super Mario Bros. popularized the platform game genre and introduced elements
that would be copied in many subsequent games
^g:Atari broke off negotiations with Nintendo in response to Coleco's unveiling of an unlicensed port of Donkey
Kong for its Coleco Adam computer system. Although the game had been produced without Nintendo's permission
or support, Atari took its release as a sign that Nintendo was dealing with one of its major competitors in the market.
^h:Donkey Kong Jr. Math and Mach Rider are often erroneously included in lists of launch titles. In reality, neither
title was available until later in 1986.
158
References
[1] [1] L'Histoire de Nintendo volume 3 p. 113 (Ed. Pix'n Love, 2011)
[2] Nintendo to end Famicom and Super Famicom production (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/
nintendo-to-end-famicom-and-super-famicom-production-6029220). GameSpot.com (2003-05-30). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[3] The 10 Greatest Video Game Consoles of All Time - Slide 9 - Slideshow from (http:/ / www. pcmag. com/ slideshow_viewer/
0,3253,l=251237& a=251237& po=9,00.asp). PCMag.com (2014-03-20). Retrieved on 2014-05-12.
[4] GlitterBerri's Game Translations Synonymous With the Domestic Game Console (http:/ / www. glitterberri. com/ developer-interviews/
how-the-famicom-was-born/ synonymous-with-the-domestic-game-console/ ). Glitterberri.com (2012-04-21). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[5] [5] Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research
Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
[6] [6] National Academy of Television Arts And Sciences.
[7] [7] Kohler (2004), p. 95.
[8] [8] Kohler (2004), p. 222.
[9] GameSpy.com - Article (http:/ / web.archive. org/ web/ 20080320090353/ http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ articles/ june03/ dumbestmoments/
index23. shtml). Web.archive.org (2008-03-20). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[10] The Morning Call - Article (http:/ / articles.mcall. com/ 1989-09-09/ news/ 2700327_1_nintendo-video-game-rent). Retrieved on
2013-08-26.
[11] 1UP.com - Article (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ features/ trials-and-tribulations?pager. offset=1). Retrieved on 2013-08-26.
[12] SunSentinel - Article (http:/ / articles.sun-sentinel.com/ 1989-08-13/ business/ 8902250572_1_nintendo-blockbuster-video-games).
Retrieved on 2013-08-26.
[13] http:/ / www.nes-wiki.org/ wiki/ PAL-A
[14] http:/ / www.famitracker. com/ wiki/ Sound_Hardware
[15] Pegasus IQ-502 (http:/ / www. pegasus-gry.com/ pegasus-iq-502. php) Polish review of the most popular NES / Famicom clone - Pegasus
IQ-502
External links
Media related to Famicom and variants at Wikimedia Commons
Video of Nintendo Famicom (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ v/ CW0rirNy-qA) hardware and features from
FamicomDojo.TV (http:/ / famicomdojo. tv/ season1/ )
"Nintendo Entertainment System" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071020045136/ http:/ / www. nintendo.
com/ systemsclassic?type=nes). Archived from the original (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/
systemsclassic?type=nes) on 20 October 2007. at Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/
web/ */ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ systemsclassic?type=nes) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
NES games list (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/ nes_games. pdf) at
Nintendo.com (archived from the original (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070317023021/ http:/ / www.
nintendo. com/ doc/ nes_games. pdf) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Nintendo Entertainment System (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/
NES) at DMOZ
PV-1000
159
PV-1000
PV-1000
Manufacturer Casio
Release date
JP
October 1983
Media ROM Cartridge
CPU Z80A clocked at 3.579 MHz
Memory 2KB RAM
Display 256x192 resolution, 8 colours
Input Joystick
Successor Casio Loopy
The PV-1000 ( Pi Bui-SenHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) was a video game console
manufactured by Casio and released in Japan in 1983. The PV-1000 was powered by a Z80A micro-processor, and
had only 2 KB RAM available, with 1 KB devoted to its character generator. It had a 256x192 pixel resolution and
had 8 available colours. It was released alongside a computer known as the PV-2000, which is compatible with
PV-1000 controllers but not games. In the same year Casio released two other consoles, the PV-7 and the PV-16
which were MSX computers. The PV-1000 initially sold for 14,800.
Casio failed to achieve a significant market share. It is said to have been pulled from the shelves within a matter of
weeks, making the system extremely rare.
Games
Only 15 games for the Casio PV-1000 were released.
Amidar
Dig-Dug
Dirty Chameleon
Excite Mahjong
Fighting Bug
Naughty Boy
Pachinko UFO
Pooyan
Space Panic
Super Cobra
Turpin
Tutankhamon
Warp & Warp
PV-1000
160
References
Philips Videopac + G7400
Philips Videopac G7400 console
Manufacturer Philips
Release date 1983
CPU Intel 8048 clocked at 5.91MHz
Memory 6KB RAM, 1KB ROM
Display 320238 resolution
The Philips Videopac+ G7400 was a video game console released in limited quantities in 1983, and only in Europe;
an American release as the Odyssey Command Center was planned but never occurred. The G7400 was the
successor to the Philips Videopac G7000, the European counterpart to the American Magnavox Odyssey. The
system featured excellently tailored background and foreground graphics.
The G7400 could play three types of games: all normal G7000 games, special G7000 games with additional high-res
background graphics that would appear only when played on the G7400, and G7400-only games with high-res
sprites and backgrounds.
Odyssey
There were plans to release the G7400 in the United States as the Odyssey and later as the Odyssey Command
Center; the system was demonstrated at the 1983 Consumer Electronics Show and some prototypes have been found.
The Odyssey was never released, mostly because company executives concluded that it was not technologically
advanced enough to compete in the marketplace. Also, the video game crash of 1983 ended all lingering hopes for a
release.
The Odyssey was to feature a real mechanical keyboard, unlike the membrane keyboard found in the G7000 and
Odyssey, as well as a built-in joystick holder for dual-joystick games. Prototypes for a 300 baud modem and a
speech synthesizer are known to have been made, and a laserdisc interface was planned to allow even more advanced
games.
Philips Videopac + G7400
161
Specifications
CPU: Intel 8048, 5.91 MHz
RAM: 6 KB + 192 Byte
ROM: 1 KB
Display: 32023816
Audio: 1 channel, 8 sounds
Input / Output: RF modulator, Pritel/SCART connector (with RGB), joystick port(s), ROM cartridge port
Expansion
The Voice Speech synthesis unit, compatible with G7000
Chess Module Increased the G7400's computing power such that it could play chess, also compatible with
G7000
Microsoft BASIC Home Computer Module (G7420) Similar to above, with the purpose of converting the
G7400 into a "real" computer, not compatible with G7000. An additional Z80 CPU with 16 KB RAM and
16KB ROM.
Emulation
The emulator O2EM allows G7400 games to be played on modern computers.
External links
videopac.nl/forum
[1]
- Forum dedicated to the Philips Videopac and Magnavox Odyssey2*
References
[1] http:/ / www. videopac. nl/ forum
Sega Master System
162
Sega Master System
Master System
Top: North American Master System
Middle: Japanese Sega Mark III
Bottom: PAL Master System II
Manufacturer Sega (International)
Samsung (Korea only)
Release date
JP
1985 (Mark III)
NA
1986
JP
1987
EU
1987
1988
BR
1989
Retail availability 1985-present
Introductory price JP16,800
US$200
GB99
Units sold 10-13 million (during lifetime, does not include recent Brazil
figures)
Japan: 1 million (as of 1986)
United States: 2 million (as of 1993)
Europe: 6.8 million (estimated as of December 1993)
Brazil: 5 million (as of 2012)
Media ROM cartridge, Sega Card
Memory 64 kbits (8 KB)
Storage Sega Card
Controller input 2 controller ports
Predecessor SG-1000
Successor Sega Genesis
Related articles Sega Game Gear
The Master System ( Masut ShisutemuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), often
called the Sega Master System or SMS, is an 8-bit third-generation video game console that was manufactured by
Sega. It was originally released in 1985 as the Sega Mark III in Japan and then redesigned and redesignated the
Master System for release in 1986 in North America, 1987 in Europe and Japan, and 1989 in Brazil. The original
Master System could play both cartridges and the credit card-sized "Sega Cards," which retailed for cheaper prices
than cartridges but had lower storage capacity, while later models removed the card slot. The Master System also
Sega Master System
163
featured accessories such as a light gun and 3D glasses which were designed to work with a range of specially coded
games.
Succeeding the SG-1000, the Master System was released as a direct competitor to the Nintendo Entertainment
System in the third generation of video game consoles. The Master System was technically superior to the NES, but
failed to overturn Nintendo's significant market share advantage in Japan and North America. However, it attained
more success in Europe and Brazil, where it controlled a significant portion of the market share in each region. The
hardware of the Master System also served as the base structure of Sega's handheld game console, the Sega Game
Gear. Due to Nintendo's licensing practices with third-party developers the Master System's game library lacked a
number of quality titles. Final sales estimates show the console selling 13 million units in its lifetime, compared to
the 62 million NES units. Retrospective reception to the system gives credit to the system's role in Sega's
development of the Sega Genesis, but criticizes its shallow game library.
History
In the early 1980s, Sega Enterprises, Inc., then a subsidiary of Gulf and Western, was one of the top five arcade
game manufacturers active in the United States, as company revenues rose to $214 million. A downturn in the arcade
business starting in 1982 seriously hurt the company, leading Gulf & Western to sell its North American arcade
manufacturing organization and the licensing rights for its arcade games to Bally Manufacturing. The company
retained Sega's North American R&D operation, as well as its Japanese subsidiary, Sega of Japan. With its arcade
business in decline, Gulf & Western executives turned to Sega of Japan's president, Hayao Nakayama, for advice on
how to proceed. Nakayama advocated that the company leverage its hardware expertise gained through years
working in the arcade industry to move into the home console market in Japan, which was in its infancy at the time.
Nakayama received permission to proceed with this project, leading to the release of Sega's first home video game
system, the SG-1000.
The SG-1000 was first released in Japan on July 15, 1983, at a price of JP15,000. It released on the same day as
Nintendo launched the Famicom in Japan. Shortly after the launch of the SG-1000, Gulf & Western began to divest
itself of its non-core businesses after the death of company founder Charles Bludhorn, so Nakayama and former
Sega CEO David Rosen arranged a management buyout of the Japanese subsidiary in 1984 with financial backing
from CSK Corporation, a prominent Japanese software company. Nakayama was then installed as CEO of the new
Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Following the buyout, Sega released another video game console, the SG-1000 II, at a price of
15,000. It featured a few hardware tweaks from the original model, including detachable controllers. The SG-1000
II did not sell well, however, leading to Sega's decision to continue work on its video game hardware. This would
result in the release of the Sega Mark III in Japan in 1985.
Launch
Sega released the Mark III in Japan in October 1985, at a price of JP15,000. Despite featuring technically more
powerful hardware than its chief competition, the Famicom, the Mark III did not prove to be successful after its
launch. Difficulties arose from Nintendo's licensing practices with third-party developers at the time, whereby
Nintendo required that titles for the Famicom not be published on other consoles. To overcome this, Sega developed
its own titles and obtained the rights to reprogram games from other developers, albeit with little success. NEC
would later use the same strategy on some of Sega's titles when developing games for the PC Engine. In preparation
for the launch, Mark Cerny has stated that "pressure was very, very high," with "a typical project" being allotted only
three months of development time.
Before launching the console in North America, Sega decided to restyle and rebrand the Mark III under the name
Master System, similar to Nintendo's own rebranding and restyling of the Famicom into the Nintendo Entertainment
System. The "Master System" name was one of several proposals considered by Sega's American employees, and
was ultimately chosen by throwing darts against a white marker board, although plans to release a cheaper "Base
Sega Master System
164
System" also influenced the decision. Sega Enterprises Chairman Isao Okawa endorsed the name after being told it
was a reference to the competitive nature of both the video game industry and the martial arts, in which only one
competitor can be the "Master". The Master System was released in North America in 1986, at a price of US$200,
and was packed in with Hang-On/Safari Hunt. However, as in Japan, the Master System in North America also
suffered from a poor game library when compared to its competition. Against Nintendo's licensing practices, Sega
had only managed to gain two third-party developers to their side: Activision and Parker Brothers. By 1988,
Nintendo commanded 83% of the North American video game market share. At this time, Sega sold the distribution
rights for the Master System in the United States to Tonka, which did not have any previous experience with
electronic entertainment systems. Some of Tonka's decisions with the Master System included blocking localization
of several popular video game titles. Though the distributor of the console had changed, the Master System
continued to perform poorly. A re-release of the console, as the Master System, also occurred in Japan in October
1987 at a price of JP16,800, but, similar to the Mark III, was not successful. Neither the Mark III nor the Master
System posed a serious challenge to Nintendo in Japan.
The European launch of the Master System occurred in 1987, where it was distributed by Mastertronic in the United
Kingdom, Master Games in France, and Bertelsmann in Germany. Mastertronic advertised the Master System as "an
arcade in the home" and launched the system at GB99. Advanced orders from retailers were positive, but Sega
proved unable to deliver inventory until Boxing Day, causing many retailers to cancel their orders. As a result,
Master Games and Mastertronic both entered financial crises and Bertlesmann vowed never to work with Sega again.
Mastertronic had already sold a minority interest to Richard Branson and the Virgin group to enter the console
business and now sold the remainder of the company to avoid bankruptcy. The newly rebranded Virgin Mastertronic
then took over all European distribution in 1988. The Master System held a significant part of the video game
console market in Europe through the release of Sega's succeeding console, the Sega Genesis (known as Mega Drive
in territories outside of North America). Brazil was also a successful market for the Master System, where the
console was released in 1989 and distributed by Tectoy.
Transition to Sega Genesis and decline
Sega released the Mega Drive, a 16-bit video game console, in Japan on October 29, 1988. In 1989, Sega was
preparing to release the new Mega Drive, relabeled as Genesis, in North America. Displeased with Tonka's handling
of the Master System, Sega reacquired the marketing and distribution rights to the Master System in the United
States. In 1990, Sega released the remodeled Master System II, designed to be a lower-cost version of the console
which also removed the Sega Card slot. Sega promoted it themselves, but still sold poorly in the region. In 1991,
Nintendo was found guilty of violating United States antitrust law and forced to abandon some of its licensing
practices, but the Master System had already been in decline long before. By early 1992, Master System production
ceased in North America. By the time of its discontinuation, Master System had sold between 1.5 million and 2
million units in the United States. The last licensed release in North America was Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991.
Contrary to its performance in Japan and North America, the Master System was eventually a success in Europe,
where it outsold the NES by a considerable margin. As late as 1993, the Master System's active installed user base in
Europe was 6.25 million units, larger than that of the Mega Drive's 5.73 million base that year. Combined with the
Mega Drive, Sega represented the majority of the console user base in Europe that year.
[]
The Master System's
largest markets in the region were France and the United Kingdom, which had active user bases of 1.6 million and
1.35 million, respectively, in 1993. The remodeled Master System II also proved to be successful and helped Sega to
sustain the Master System's market share in Europe. More new releases would continue into the 1990s in Europe,
including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage II, and Mercs.
The Master System has had continued success in Brazil, where new variations have continued to be released long
after the console was discontinued elsewhere. These include the Master System Compact, as well as the Master
System 3. By 2012, the Master System had sold 5 million units in Brazil.
Sega Master System
165
Sega Game Gear
Main article: Sega Game Gear
Developed under the name "Project Mercury" and designed based on the Master System's hardware, the Game Gear
was first released in Japan on October 6, 1990, in North America and Europe in 1991, and in Australia in 1992.
Originally retailing at JP19,800 in Japan, US$149.99 in North America, and GB99.99 in Europe, the Game Gear
was designed to compete with the Game Boy, which Nintendo had released in 1989. Despite the similarities the
Game Gear shared with the Master System, the games of the latter were not directly playable on the Game Gear, and
were only able to be played on the handheld by the use of an accessory called the Master System Converter. A large
part of the Game Gear's game library consists of Master System ports. Because of the landscape orientation of the
Game Gear's screen and the similarities in hardware between the handheld console and the Master System, it was
easy for developers to port Master System games to the Game Gear.
Zilog Z80 manufactured by NEC
The main CPU of the Master System is a Zilog Z80, an 8-bit processor
running at 3.57MHz. It contains 8 kB of ROM, along with 8 kB of
RAM and 16 kB of video RAM. Video is provided through an RF
switch and displays at a video resolution of 256 x 192 pixels, up to 64
colors at one time. Physically, the Master System measures 365 by 170
by 70 millimetres (14.4 6.7 2.8in), while the Mark III measures
318 by 145 by 52 millimetres (12.5 5.7 2.0in). Both the Mark III
and the Master System possess two slots for game input: one for
cartridges and one for Sega Cards, along with an expansion slot and 2
controller ports. Sound is provided by the SN76489 PSG chip. The Japanese version also integrates the YM2413 FM
chip, which had been an optional feature on the Mark III. With few exceptions, Master System hardware is identical
to the hardware in the Mark III. Titles for the console are playable on the Sega Genesis by use of an accessory
known as the Power Base Converter, as well as on the Game Gear by use of the Master System Converter.
Master System controllers Light Phaser SegaScope 3D glasses Master System 3 Compact Master System Girl
A number of accessories were created for the Mark III and Master System, which were cross-compatible with one
another. The controller for each console consists of a rectangular shape with a control pad and two buttons. Sega also
introduced additional controllers, such as a bike handle controller and paddle controller for the Mark III, and a
special sports controller for the Master System. A pair of 3D glasses known as SegaScope 3D were also created for
games such as Space Harrier 3D, although Mark III users need an additional converter to use them. The Mark III
also had an optional RF transmitter accessory, allowing wireless play that broadcast the game being played on a
UHF television signal. A light gun peripheral, known as the Light Phaser, was also released. Its design was based on
the weapon of the same name from the Japanese anime Zillion.
The Master System was made in several variations. Released in 1990, the Master System II removed a number of
components in order to reduce the cost of the console, including the Sega Card slot, reset button, power light,
expansion port, and activation music and logo upon turning on the system. A variation in Brazil known as the Master
Sega Master System
166
System 3 Compact was capable of functioning wirelessly with an RF transmitter, while Tectoy also sought to appeal
to female gamers in Brazil with the Master System Girl, which was molded in bright pink plastic. A more recent
version, released in 2006 in Brazil known as the Master System 3 Collection, contains 120 built-in games. Another
Master System, built as a handheld game console, was released under several brands including Coleco in 2006.
Game library
See also: List of Master System games
Games for the Master System came in two formats: ROM cartridges were capable of holding up to 1048 kbit of
game code, while Sega Cards could hold up to 256 kbit. Cards were cheaper to manufacture than the cartridges and
included titles such as Spy vs. Spy and Super Tennis, but Sega Cards were eventually dropped due to their lack of
memory. Some games manufactured for the system include Psycho Fox, Golvellius, and Phantasy Star, which
became a successful franchise for Sega and is considered one of the benchmark role-playing games. The Master
System also hosted games featuring Sega's flagship character, Alex Kidd, including Alex Kidd in Miracle World.
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap has garnered recognition as "a genuine milestone in video game design" due to
its innovative blend of platforming gameplay with RPG elements. Built-in titles were common in Master System
hardware, including Snail Maze and Hang-On, as well as Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Additional titles were also released in Brazil by Tectoy, including ports of Street Fighter II and Dynamite Headdy
after the Master System was discontinued elsewhere.
Given Nintendo's licensing practices preventing third-party developers from creating games for the Master System,
the game library has been criticized for its lack of depth. Computer Gaming World compared new Sega titles to
"drops of water in the desert". According to Damien McFerran, "Nintendo requested that developers keep their
games 'NES exclusive', and given the unassailable position the console enjoyed, few had the will to defy this
request." Titles for the Master System, however, did take advantage of the advanced hardware of the console in
comparison to its competition; Alex Kidd in Miracle World, for example, showcases "blistering colors and more
detailed sprites" than competing NES games.
[1]
In addition, the Master System version of R-Type has garnered
retrospective praise for its quality, with its visuals considered comparable to those found in the TurboGrafx-16 port
of the same title.
Reception and legacy
Sales of the Master System are estimated between 10 million and 13 million units worldwide during its lifetime, in
contrast to the 62 million units sold by its chief competitor, the Famicom. This was a difference of 49 million units,
but Sega would later close the gap between itself and Nintendo with the release of the Genesis. The Master System
saw much more continued success in Europe and Brazil than it did in Japan and North America.
Reception in 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly indicated a souring interest in the console. Four reviewers scored
the console 5, 4, 5, and 5 out of a possible 10 points each in the magazine's 1992 Buyer's Guide, focusing on the
better value of the Genesis and lack of quality titles for the Master System. By 1993, reviewers scored the console 2,
2, 3, and 3 out of 10, noting its abandonment by Sega in North America and lack of new releases. Retrospective
feedback of the console praises its support toward development of the Sega Genesis, but recognizes its game library
as its biggest fault. Writing for Allgame, Dave Beuscher notes that "it was doomed by the lack of third party
software support and all but disappeared from the American market by 1992." Damien McFerran of Retro Gamer
recognizes its value to the future success of the Genesis, stating, "Without this criminally undervalued machine, Sega
would not have enjoyed the considerable success it had with the Mega Drive. The Master System allowed Sega to
experiment with arcade conversions, original IP and even create a mascot in the form of the lovable monkey-boy
Alex Kidd." In 2009, the Master System was named the 20th best video game console of all time by the video
gaming website IGN, behind both of its main competitors, the Atari 7800 (ranked 17th best) and the Nintendo
Entertainment System (1st). They cited the Master System's small games library, coupled with the highly uneven
Sega Master System
167
quality of the few games that were released, as the console's major issues, stating, "Months could go by between
major releases and that made a dud on the Master System feel even more painful."
A number of Master System games are available for download on Nintendo's Wii Virtual Console in North America,
PAL territories and Japan. The first game released for this service was Fist of the North Star, on February 26, 2008,
and later, Fantasy Zone, released on March 11. Both were released in Japan, at a standard cost of 500 Wii Points
(though Fist of the North Star costs 600 points, due to the game's source license). In North America, Wonder Boy
was the first Master System game released for the service on March 31, 2008.
References
[1] [1] cf.
Sega SG-1000 Mark III
168
Master System
Top: North American Master System
Middle: Japanese Sega Mark III
Bottom: PAL Master System II
Manufacturer Sega (International)
Samsung (Korea only)
Release date
JP
1985 (Mark III)
NA
1986
JP
1987
EU
1987
1988
BR
1989
Retail availability 1985-present
US$200
GB99
Units sold 10-13 million (during lifetime, does not include recent Brazil
figures)
Japan: 1 million (as of 1986)
United States: 2 million (as of 1993)
Europe: 6.8 million (estimated as of December 1993)
Brazil: 5 million (as of 2012)
Media ROM cartridge, Sega Card
Memory 64 kbits (8 KB)
Storage Sega Card
Controller input 2 controller ports
Predecessor SG-1000
Successor Sega Genesis
Related articles Sega Game Gear
The Master System ( Masut ShisutemuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), often
called the Sega Master System or SMS, is an 8-bit third-generation video game console that was manufactured by
Sega. It was originally released in 1985 as the Sega Mark III in Japan and then redesigned and redesignated the
Master System for release in 1986 in North America, 1987 in Europe and Japan, and 1989 in Brazil. The original
Master System could play both cartridges and the credit card-sized "Sega Cards," which retailed for cheaper prices
than cartridges but had lower storage capacity, while later models removed the card slot. The Master System also
169
featured accessories such as a light gun and 3D glasses which were designed to work with a range of specially coded
games.
Succeeding the SG-1000, the Master System was released as a direct competitor to the Nintendo Entertainment
System in the third generation of video game consoles. The Master System was technically superior to the NES, but
failed to overturn Nintendo's significant market share advantage in Japan and North America. However, it attained
more success in Europe and Brazil, where it controlled a significant portion of the market share in each region. The
hardware of the Master System also served as the base structure of Sega's handheld game console, the Sega Game
Gear. Due to Nintendo's licensing practices with third-party developers the Master System's game library lacked a
number of quality titles. Final sales estimates show the console selling 13 million units in its lifetime, compared to
the 62 million NES units. Retrospective reception to the system gives credit to the system's role in Sega's
development of the Sega Genesis, but criticizes its shallow game library.
History
In the early 1980s, Sega Enterprises, Inc., then a subsidiary of Gulf and Western, was one of the top five arcade
game manufacturers active in the United States, as company revenues rose to $214 million. A downturn in the arcade
business starting in 1982 seriously hurt the company, leading Gulf & Western to sell its North American arcade
manufacturing organization and the licensing rights for its arcade games to Bally Manufacturing. The company
retained Sega's North American R&D operation, as well as its Japanese subsidiary, Sega of Japan. With its arcade
business in decline, Gulf & Western executives turned to Sega of Japan's president, Hayao Nakayama, for advice on
how to proceed. Nakayama advocated that the company leverage its hardware expertise gained through years
working in the arcade industry to move into the home console market in Japan, which was in its infancy at the time.
Nakayama received permission to proceed with this project, leading to the release of Sega's first home video game
system, the SG-1000.
The SG-1000 was first released in Japan on July 15, 1983, at a price of JP15,000. It released on the same day as
Nintendo launched the Famicom in Japan. Shortly after the launch of the SG-1000, Gulf & Western began to divest
itself of its non-core businesses after the death of company founder Charles Bludhorn, so Nakayama and former
Sega CEO David Rosen arranged a management buyout of the Japanese subsidiary in 1984 with financial backing
from CSK Corporation, a prominent Japanese software company. Nakayama was then installed as CEO of the new
Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Following the buyout, Sega released another video game console, the SG-1000 II, at a price of
15,000. It featured a few hardware tweaks from the original model, including detachable controllers. The SG-1000
II did not sell well, however, leading to Sega's decision to continue work on its video game hardware. This would
result in the release of the Sega Mark III in Japan in 1985.
Launch
Sega released the Mark III in Japan in October 1985, at a price of JP15,000. Despite featuring technically more
powerful hardware than its chief competition, the Famicom, the Mark III did not prove to be successful after its
launch. Difficulties arose from Nintendo's licensing practices with third-party developers at the time, whereby
Nintendo required that titles for the Famicom not be published on other consoles. To overcome this, Sega developed
its own titles and obtained the rights to reprogram games from other developers, albeit with little success. NEC
would later use the same strategy on some of Sega's titles when developing games for the PC Engine. In preparation
for the launch, Mark Cerny has stated that "pressure was very, very high," with "a typical project" being allotted only
three months of development time.
Before launching the console in North America, Sega decided to restyle and rebrand the Mark III under the name
Master System, similar to Nintendo's own rebranding and restyling of the Famicom into the Nintendo Entertainment
System. The "Master System" name was one of several proposals considered by Sega's American employees, and
was ultimately chosen by throwing darts against a white marker board, although plans to release a cheaper "Base
170
System" also influenced the decision. Sega Enterprises Chairman Isao Okawa endorsed the name after being told it
was a reference to the competitive nature of both the video game industry and the martial arts, in which only one
competitor can be the "Master". The Master System was released in North America in 1986, at a price of US$200,
and was packed in with Hang-On/Safari Hunt. However, as in Japan, the Master System in North America also
suffered from a poor game library when compared to its competition. Against Nintendo's licensing practices, Sega
had only managed to gain two third-party developers to their side: Activision and Parker Brothers. By 1988,
Nintendo commanded 83% of the North American video game market share. At this time, Sega sold the distribution
rights for the Master System in the United States to Tonka, which did not have any previous experience with
electronic entertainment systems. Some of Tonka's decisions with the Master System included blocking localization
of several popular video game titles. Though the distributor of the console had changed, the Master System
continued to perform poorly. A re-release of the console, as the Master System, also occurred in Japan in October
1987 at a price of JP16,800, but, similar to the Mark III, was not successful. Neither the Mark III nor the Master
System posed a serious challenge to Nintendo in Japan.
The European launch of the Master System occurred in 1987, where it was distributed by Mastertronic in the United
Kingdom, Master Games in France, and Bertelsmann in Germany. Mastertronic advertised the Master System as "an
arcade in the home" and launched the system at GB99. Advanced orders from retailers were positive, but Sega
proved unable to deliver inventory until Boxing Day, causing many retailers to cancel their orders. As a result,
Master Games and Mastertronic both entered financial crises and Bertlesmann vowed never to work with Sega again.
Mastertronic had already sold a minority interest to Richard Branson and the Virgin group to enter the console
business and now sold the remainder of the company to avoid bankruptcy. The newly rebranded Virgin Mastertronic
then took over all European distribution in 1988. The Master System held a significant part of the video game
console market in Europe through the release of Sega's succeeding console, the Sega Genesis (known as Mega Drive
in territories outside of North America). Brazil was also a successful market for the Master System, where the
console was released in 1989 and distributed by Tectoy.
Transition to Sega Genesis and decline
Sega released the Mega Drive, a 16-bit video game console, in Japan on October 29, 1988. In 1989, Sega was
preparing to release the new Mega Drive, relabeled as Genesis, in North America. Displeased with Tonka's handling
of the Master System, Sega reacquired the marketing and distribution rights to the Master System in the United
States. In 1990, Sega released the remodeled Master System II, designed to be a lower-cost version of the console
which also removed the Sega Card slot. Sega promoted it themselves, but still sold poorly in the region. In 1991,
Nintendo was found guilty of violating United States antitrust law and forced to abandon some of its licensing
practices, but the Master System had already been in decline long before. By early 1992, Master System production
ceased in North America. By the time of its discontinuation, Master System had sold between 1.5 million and 2
million units in the United States. The last licensed release in North America was Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991.
Contrary to its performance in Japan and North America, the Master System was eventually a success in Europe,
where it outsold the NES by a considerable margin. As late as 1993, the Master System's active installed user base in
Europe was 6.25 million units, larger than that of the Mega Drive's 5.73 million base that year. Combined with the
Mega Drive, Sega represented the majority of the console user base in Europe that year.
[]
The Master System's
largest markets in the region were France and the United Kingdom, which had active user bases of 1.6 million and
1.35 million, respectively, in 1993. The remodeled Master System II also proved to be successful and helped Sega to
sustain the Master System's market share in Europe. More new releases would continue into the 1990s in Europe,
including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage II, and Mercs.
The Master System has had continued success in Brazil, where new variations have continued to be released long
after the console was discontinued elsewhere. These include the Master System Compact, as well as the Master
System 3. By 2012, the Master System had sold 5 million units in Brazil.
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Sega Game Gear
Main article: Sega Game Gear
Developed under the name "Project Mercury" and designed based on the Master System's hardware, the Game Gear
was first released in Japan on October 6, 1990, in North America and Europe in 1991, and in Australia in 1992.
Originally retailing at JP19,800 in Japan, US$149.99 in North America, and GB99.99 in Europe, the Game Gear
was designed to compete with the Game Boy, which Nintendo had released in 1989. Despite the similarities the
Game Gear shared with the Master System, the games of the latter were not directly playable on the Game Gear, and
were only able to be played on the handheld by the use of an accessory called the Master System Converter. A large
part of the Game Gear's game library consists of Master System ports. Because of the landscape orientation of the
Game Gear's screen and the similarities in hardware between the handheld console and the Master System, it was
easy for developers to port Master System games to the Game Gear.
Zilog Z80 manufactured by NEC
The main CPU of the Master System is a Zilog Z80, an 8-bit processor
running at 3.57MHz. It contains 8 kB of ROM, along with 8 kB of
RAM and 16 kB of video RAM. Video is provided through an RF
switch and displays at a video resolution of 256 x 192 pixels, up to 64
colors at one time. Physically, the Master System measures 365 by 170
by 70 millimetres (14.4 6.7 2.8in), while the Mark III measures
318 by 145 by 52 millimetres (12.5 5.7 2.0in). Both the Mark III
and the Master System possess two slots for game input: one for
cartridges and one for Sega Cards, along with an expansion slot and 2
controller ports. Sound is provided by the SN76489 PSG chip. The Japanese version also integrates the YM2413 FM
chip, which had been an optional feature on the Mark III. With few exceptions, Master System hardware is identical
to the hardware in the Mark III. Titles for the console are playable on the Sega Genesis by use of an accessory
known as the Power Base Converter, as well as on the Game Gear by use of the Master System Converter.
Master System controllers Light Phaser SegaScope 3D glasses Master System 3 Compact Master System Girl
A number of accessories were created for the Mark III and Master System, which were cross-compatible with one
another. The controller for each console consists of a rectangular shape with a control pad and two buttons. Sega also
introduced additional controllers, such as a bike handle controller and paddle controller for the Mark III, and a
special sports controller for the Master System. A pair of 3D glasses known as SegaScope 3D were also created for
games such as Space Harrier 3D, although Mark III users need an additional converter to use them. The Mark III
also had an optional RF transmitter accessory, allowing wireless play that broadcast the game being played on a
UHF television signal. A light gun peripheral, known as the Light Phaser, was also released. Its design was based on
the weapon of the same name from the Japanese anime Zillion.
The Master System was made in several variations. Released in 1990, the Master System II removed a number of
components in order to reduce the cost of the console, including the Sega Card slot, reset button, power light,
expansion port, and activation music and logo upon turning on the system. A variation in Brazil known as the Master
172
System 3 Compact was capable of functioning wirelessly with an RF transmitter, while Tectoy also sought to appeal
to female gamers in Brazil with the Master System Girl, which was molded in bright pink plastic. A more recent
version, released in 2006 in Brazil known as the Master System 3 Collection, contains 120 built-in games. Another
Master System, built as a handheld game console, was released under several brands including Coleco in 2006.
Game library
See also: List of Master System games
Games for the Master System came in two formats: ROM cartridges were capable of holding up to 1048 kbit of
game code, while Sega Cards could hold up to 256 kbit. Cards were cheaper to manufacture than the cartridges and
included titles such as Spy vs. Spy and Super Tennis, but Sega Cards were eventually dropped due to their lack of
memory. Some games manufactured for the system include Psycho Fox, Golvellius, and Phantasy Star, which
became a successful franchise for Sega and is considered one of the benchmark role-playing games. The Master
System also hosted games featuring Sega's flagship character, Alex Kidd, including Alex Kidd in Miracle World.
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap has garnered recognition as "a genuine milestone in video game design" due to
its innovative blend of platforming gameplay with RPG elements. Built-in titles were common in Master System
hardware, including Snail Maze and Hang-On, as well as Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Additional titles were also released in Brazil by Tectoy, including ports of Street Fighter II and Dynamite Headdy
after the Master System was discontinued elsewhere.
Given Nintendo's licensing practices preventing third-party developers from creating games for the Master System,
the game library has been criticized for its lack of depth. Computer Gaming World compared new Sega titles to
"drops of water in the desert". According to Damien McFerran, "Nintendo requested that developers keep their
games 'NES exclusive', and given the unassailable position the console enjoyed, few had the will to defy this
request." Titles for the Master System, however, did take advantage of the advanced hardware of the console in
comparison to its competition; Alex Kidd in Miracle World, for example, showcases "blistering colors and more
detailed sprites" than competing NES games.
[1]
In addition, the Master System version of R-Type has garnered
retrospective praise for its quality, with its visuals considered comparable to those found in the TurboGrafx-16 port
of the same title.
Sales of the Master System are estimated between 10 million and 13 million units worldwide during its lifetime, in
contrast to the 62 million units sold by its chief competitor, the Famicom. This was a difference of 49 million units,
but Sega would later close the gap between itself and Nintendo with the release of the Genesis. The Master System
saw much more continued success in Europe and Brazil than it did in Japan and North America.
Reception in 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly indicated a souring interest in the console. Four reviewers scored
the console 5, 4, 5, and 5 out of a possible 10 points each in the magazine's 1992 Buyer's Guide, focusing on the
better value of the Genesis and lack of quality titles for the Master System. By 1993, reviewers scored the console 2,
2, 3, and 3 out of 10, noting its abandonment by Sega in North America and lack of new releases. Retrospective
feedback of the console praises its support toward development of the Sega Genesis, but recognizes its game library
as its biggest fault. Writing for Allgame, Dave Beuscher notes that "it was doomed by the lack of third party
software support and all but disappeared from the American market by 1992." Damien McFerran of Retro Gamer
recognizes its value to the future success of the Genesis, stating, "Without this criminally undervalued machine, Sega
would not have enjoyed the considerable success it had with the Mega Drive. The Master System allowed Sega to
experiment with arcade conversions, original IP and even create a mascot in the form of the lovable monkey-boy
Alex Kidd." In 2009, the Master System was named the 20th best video game console of all time by the video
gaming website IGN, behind both of its main competitors, the Atari 7800 (ranked 17th best) and the Nintendo
Entertainment System (1st). They cited the Master System's small games library, coupled with the highly uneven
173
quality of the few games that were released, as the console's major issues, stating, "Months could go by between
major releases and that made a dud on the Master System feel even more painful."
A number of Master System games are available for download on Nintendo's Wii Virtual Console in North America,
PAL territories and Japan. The first game released for this service was Fist of the North Star, on February 26, 2008,
and later, Fantasy Zone, released on March 11. Both were released in Japan, at a standard cost of 500 Wii Points
(though Fist of the North Star costs 600 points, due to the game's source license). In North America, Wonder Boy
was the first Master System game released for the service on March 31, 2008.
References
[1] [1] cf.
Terminator
174
Terminator
Terminator
The Ending-Man BS-500 AS (Terminator) with the original controllers, the gun and 3 cartridges. The black
one is bundled with the consoles.
Release date 1992
Media ROM cartridge
CPU 1.779MHz 8-bit MOS 6502
Terminator 2 (Chinese: - ; pinyin: Zhngji zh r; real console name Super Design Ending-Man
BS-500 AS) was a video game console sold in Poland, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Albania, India and Hungary (where it was known as Srgakazetts nintendo - Nintendo with yellow cartridges). It
was also sold in Italy with the name "top consolle". In Spain it was usually received as a marketing gift for those
assisting sales confereces organized by different companies, usually by assisting to a hotel as a promotional tool. It
was a hardware clone of the Nintendo Famicom.
Hardware
Processor 8-bit MOS 6502 1.79MHz
Video Clock 5.37MHz
Resolution 256 x 240
Color Palette 25 on screen
(out of 64 possible)
Standard NTSC ("forced" to PAL standard, 50Hz refresh rate)
Sound 5-channel mono 1 channel noise
1 PCM
3 channels for sounds
Media ROM cartridge
(Nintendo 60-pin equivalent)
Background
This particular Nintendo-clone was hugely popular in Poland, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria,
[1][2]
Romania, Pakistan,
India, Iran and Bosnia, where it has gained cult status, and is still widely available on auction websites and flea
markets. Due to economical restraints, the fourth generation consoles such as the Mega Drive or SNES were not
popular in these countries. The previous generation remained highly popular, particularly Terminator 2 which was
the most successful NES clone. It left a mark in pop culture and 1990s youth, establishing itself as antonomasia for
8-bit video gaming, to the point of being more popular than the original.
Terminator
175
Terminator 2, like most known Famicom clones, was compatible with 60-pin Famicom cartridges, and partially
compatible with some NES games, which could be played using a special converter. Original Nintendo games
weren't popular however, due to raging piracy and lack of officially licensed products on the market. Majority of the
games sold with and for the system were cheap pirated copies, manufactured mostly in Russia and China. Games for
the Terminator 2 are widely available in Eastern Europe to this day, mostly on street markets and in small toy stores.
The typical retail set included the system, two detachable controllers (both with "turbo" buttons, which meant 4
buttons in total), a light gun, which also resembled the original Nintendo gun accessory except for a sleeker and
more futuristic design, power supply and RF cable. The console had a built-in RF modulator, as well as audio-video
RCA connectors. The system itself didn't include any built-in games, but most versions were bundled with cartridges
such as "1,000,000 in 1" or "9,999,999 in 1", supposedly featuring a million games, only a small number of which
actually being separate games and the rest just renamed versions of the latter. Usually these were popular games such
as: "Super Mario Bros." or "Duck Hunt". They were renamed though, possibly in an attempt to avoid lawsuits.
Popularity
In the early 1990s, the Terminator 2 system gained massive popularity in Eastern Europe, probably due to the fact
that until the late 1990s there was no official distributor of Nintendo products in that area. The Terminator 2 consoles
were mass-marketed by most of the major and smaller electronic stores. It is difficult to determine an exact price for
the system, but in place like Gabrovo, Bulgaria in the mid 90s, one could buy it for the rough equivalent of 10 euros.
In Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian war, it was 15 euros equivalent. Some went for about 90
Deutsche Marks in Serbia.
From 1998 until 2000, the Terminator 2 pirated console was worth 30 to 50 German marks in Serbia. A normal price
for a pirated cartridge was worth 50 dinars ($0.40 - $0.50 USD) considering that over 50% of the games were pirated
1 000 000 in 1 cartridges it was barely profitable to buy more cartridges. After the 2000s, the PS1 was highly
available in Serbia, and the price of the Terminator 2 fell sharply. In 2013 a regular price for the pirated console was
11 euros, and it was still sold in Chinese shopping malls throughout Serbia.
References
[1] forum.uni-sofia.bg, Sofia University St. Kl. Ohridski (http:/ / forum. uni-sofia. bg/ forum/ viewtopic. php?f=162& t=20012)
[2] zamunda.net, discussion on a torrent tracker (http:/ / zamunda. net/ forums. php?action=viewtopic& topicid=152595& page=2)
External links
More common bundle configuration (http:/ / img2. imageshack. us/ img2/ 1621/ terminatory. jpg)
Game System Information (http:/ / www. heimcomputer. de/ english/ konsolen/ endingman. html)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Famicom/NES unlicensed hardware clones.
VTech Socrates
176
VTech Socrates
VTech Socrates
Manufacturer VTech
CPU Zilog Z80A at 3.57 MHz
Graphics Custom
Predecessor VTech Creativision
Successor V.Smile
The VTech Socrates was an educational video game console released in 1988 by VTech. The console featured a
robot character Socrates, named after the philosopher. The character is visually similar to Johnny Five from the Short
Circuit movies.
The system featured standard wireless controllers that communicated via infrared reception.
In Germany, the system was sold by "Yeno" under the name "Prof. Weiss-Alles" [sic].
[1]
Games
Many games cartridges were available for the Socrates including: Facts 'N Fractions, State to State, Memory Mania,
Around the World, Hodge Podge, Game Wizard and Amazing Mazes. "Game Wizard" was delayed for over a year
and was eventually canceled. Alongside this, other cartridges became available with different functions, such as the
CAD Design System for designing different objects, and the Touch Pad system, mainly geared towards younger
learners. Many cartridges were molded in the shape of 3.5" floppy disk.
There were games built into the console as well, including math, language, music and art programs. The system also
featured voice capabilities through the use of an add-on voice cartridge which could be purchased separately.
The graphics and sound of the games were noticeably slow, with the system often taking several seconds to complete
drawing and color filling a static picture; small areas could move more quickly. There was a very noticeable delay
between user input and the system responding. Response times did not seem to be affected by the presence or
absence of the voice cartridge.
VTech Socrates
177
Hardware
The system came standard with a wireless full keyboard with two wired-on controllers. Other optional hardware
included a wireless mouse with attached mouse pad (mainly for use with the CAD Design Cartridge) and an
electronic touchpad (for the Touch Pad cartridge.)
Price and Phase Out
The system was quite expensive upon its initial release; most consoles saw prices of up to $130. Due to the price and
the competition with VTech's other products, including the Whiz Kid systems, the Socrates was phased out after only
a few years. Today, it is considered rare, although attempts to emulate the system proceed as part of the MESS
project.
References
[1] http:/ / www. flickr.com/ photos/ sameli/ 3468271655/
View-Master Interactive Vision
178
The Interactive Vision and controller
Manufacturer View-Master Ideal Group, Inc.
Release date 1988
Storage VHS
View-Master Interactive Vision is an interactive movie VHS console game system, introduced in 1988 by
View-Master Ideal Group, Inc. The tagline is "the Two-Way Television System that makes you a part of the show!"
The titles include four Sesame Street games, and two games featuring the Muppet Show characters, as well as a
Disney game, Disney's Cartoon Arcade.
Gameplay
The system comes with a simple controller which included a joystick and five colorful buttons. As the video plays,
the characters address the player directly, and ask the player to make a choice by pressing one of the buttons. Simple
videogames with graphics similar to the Colecovision are played during the course of the videotape. The Disney
game is built around the "arcade-style" gameplay, including fighting ghosts and shoveling coal into a fireplace.
The video has two different soundtracks recorded, and the player's choices toggle back and forth between the
soundtracks, giving the impression that the player has changed the course of the story.
For example, at the end of the game Muppet Madness, Kermit the Frog and The Great Gonzo ask you to choose to
hear the closing song from their point of view. In Kermit's version, the Muppets sing a closing number called
"Everything Was Wonderful!" In Gonzo's version, the closing number is "Everything Was Terrible!" Similarly, a
Muppets TV show within the program is either a science fiction series or a soap opera, depending on the soundtrack,
and Fozzie Bear's comedy act is successful or unsuccessful.
Although there is only one video track, the optional parts of the soundtrack are designed to fit the movement of the
Muppets' mouths, to create the illusion that the video was recorded with only one soundtrack.
In the game Muppets Studios Presents: You're the Director, Kermit the Frog leads the player through the process of
making a Muppet movie. You can choose to either be the "good" director or the "bad" director. During the game
you're asked to collect money bags as they show up onscreen. If you haven't collected enough, the closing song's
lyrics say "We've just made some movies. We're gonna go broke!"
179
Games
Sesame Street: Let's Learn to Play Together
Sesame Street: Magic on Sesame Street
Sesame Street: Let's Play School
Sesame Street: Oscar's Letter Party
Muppet Madness
Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Director
Disney's Cartoon Arcade
Zemmix
180
Zemmix
Zemmix
Manufacturer Daewoo Electronics
Generation Third generation era
Retail availability
SK
1985
Discontinued 1995
Media ROM cartridge
CPU 8-bit Zilog Z80
Zemmix,
[1]
trade mark and brand name of South Korean electronics company Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd., is an
MSX-based video game console brand. The brand name Zemmix is no longer in use.
Under the name Zemmix, Daewoo released a series of gaming console compatible with the MSX home computer
standards. The consoles were in production between 1985 and 1995. The consoles were not sold outside South
Korea.
Hardware
Console Models
All consoles were designed to broadcast standard NTSC, have low and high outputs for connecting to a TV and have
a universal adapter for connection to the mains 110/220 volts.
The consoles also had a letter coming after the serial number. These letters indicated the color combination of the
console. The key is as follows.
W - white and silver colors
R - red and black colors
B - yellow, blue and black colors
For example, CPC 51W would be a white or silver Zemmix V (see below).
Consoles compatible with the MSX standard
CPC-50 (Zemmix)
[2]
CPC-51 (Zemmix V)
Consoles compatible with the MSX2 standard
CPC-61 (Zemmix Super V)
Consoles compatible with the MSX2+ standard
CPG-120 (Zemmix Turbo)
FPGA based MSX2+ compatible console
Zemmix Neo (by Retroteam Neo)
[3]
Zemmix Neo Lite (by Retroteam Neo)
[4]
Zemmix
181
Peripherals
Other Zemmix products:
By Daewoo
CPJ-905 Joystick for CPC-51 console
CPJ-102K: joystick for CPC-330
CPJ-600: MSX joypad for Zemmix CPC-51 console
CPJ-905: MSX joystick in white (W), red (R) and black (B)
CPK-30: keyboard for Zemmix CPC-51
CPK-31K: input device for CPC-330
By Zemina
A Keyboard & Cartridge port divider
[5]
The Zemina Music Box
[6]
An MSX2 Upgrade Kit
A Zemmix PC card
MSX RAM expansion cards
[7]
A 'Family Card' that allows the user to play Famicom games on the Zemmix
[8]
Software
Korean software companies that produced software for the Zemmix gaming console:
Aproman
Boram
Clover
Daou Infosys
FA Soft
Mirinae
Prosoft
Screen
Topia
Uttum
Zemina
Most Zemmix software work with other MSX/MSX2/MSX2+ computers too.
References
[1] (Jaemiitdda, fun)+MSX
[2] http:/ / www. passionmsx. org/ smartsection.item.48/ MSX-game-consoles. html
[3] http:/ / www. msx.org/ forum/ msx-talk/ hardware/ zemmix-neo-project-korea-ocm-based-zemmix-cnced-case
[4] http:/ / www. msx.org/ forum/ msx-talk/ hardware/ zemmix-neo-project-korea-ocm-based-zemmix-cnced-case?page=13
[5] http:/ / www. pelikonepeijoonit.net/ zemmix.html
[6] http:/ / www. faq. msxnet. org/ fmpac.html
[7] http:/ / perso.wanadoo. es/ ivan. latorre/ zeminaMSXboxes. html
[8] http:/ / zemmix.blue-print.be/
Zemmix
182
External links
More information and pictures (http:/ / www. pelikonepeijoonit. net/ articleItem. php?id=Zemmix)
The entire Zemmix lineup with photos and information (http:/ / www. passionmsx. org/ modules/ smartsection/
item. php?itemid=48)
183
Fourth Generation Game Consoles
Atari Lynx
Atari Lynx
Atari Lynx I
Developer Epyx/ Atari
Manufacturer Atari Corporation
Type Handheld game console
Generation Fourth generation
Release date 1989
Retail availability October 1989
Introductory price US $179.99
Media ROM cartridges
CPU 65SC02
Graphics 160 102 standard resolution (16,320 addressable pixels)
Online services Comlynx
(18-player networking)
The Atari Lynx is a 16-bit handheld game console that was released by Atari Corporation in September 1989. The
Lynx holds the distinction of being the world's first handheld electronic game with a color LCD. The system is also
notable for its forward-looking features, advanced graphics, and ambidextrous layout. As part of the fourth
generation of gaming, the Lynx competed with Nintendo's Game Boy (released just a month earlier), the Sega Game
Gear and NEC's TurboExpress, both released the following year.
As with many classic consoles, there has been a modern retrogaming community, creating and selling games for the
system.
Atari Lynx
184
Features
The Atari Lynx has several innovative features including it being the first color handheld, with a backlit display, a
switchable right-handed/left-handed (upside down) configuration, and the ability to network with up to 17 other units
via its "Comlynx" system (though most games would network eight or fewer players). Comlynx was originally
developed to run over infrared links (and was codenamed RedEye). This was changed to a cable-based networking
system before the final release.
"The leading-edge display was the most expensive component, so the colour choice was one of economy. If the low-cost glass and
drivers would have supported a million colours, I would have done it."
Dave Needle, Lynx codesigner
The Lynx was cited as the "first gaming console with hardware support for zooming and distortion of sprites".
Featuring a 4096 color palette and integrated math and graphics co-processors (including a blitter unit), its
pseudo-3D color graphics display was said to be the key defining feature in the system's competition against
Nintendo's monochromatic Game Boy. The fast pseudo-3D graphics features were made possible on a minimal
hardware system by Needle having "invented the technique for planar expansion/shrinking capability" and using
stretched, textured, triangles instead of full polygons. These particular features were achieved over a year prior to the
launch of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, whose stock hardware features the comparable Mode 7 but
which can't scale sprites.
History
The Lynx was the second handheld game system to be released with the Atari name. The first was Atari Inc.'s
handheld electronic game Touch Me. Atari Inc. had previously worked on several other handheld projects including
the Breakout, Space Invaders, and the Atari Cosmos portable/tabletop console. However, those projects were shut
down during development, some just short of their intended commercial release.
The Lynx system was originally developed by Epyx as the Handy Game. In 1986, two former Amiga designers, R.J.
Mical and Dave Needle, had been asked by former manager at Amiga, David Morse, if they could come up a design
for a portable gaming system. Morse now worked at Epyx, a game software company that had a recent string of hit
games. Morse's son had asked him if he could make a portable gaming system, prompting the lunch with Mical and
Needle to discuss the idea. Morse convinced Mical and Needle to develop the idea and they were hired by Epyx to
be a part of the design team. Planning and design of the console began in 1986 and was completed in 1987. Epyx
first showed the Handy system at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 1989. Facing financial
difficulties, Epyx sought out partners. Atari Corp. and Epyx eventually agreed that Atari Corp. would handle
production and marketing, while Epyx would handle software development.
The Handy was designed to run games from the cartridge format, and the game data must be copied from ROM to
RAM before it can be used, so less memory was available and the games initially load relatively slowly. There are
trace remnants of a cassette tape interface physically capable of being programmed to read a tape. Lynx developers
have noted that "there is still reference of the tape and some hardware addresses" and an updated vintage Epyx
manual describes the bare existence of what could be utilized for tape support.
:ch.2,8
A 2009 retrospective interview
clarifies: "Although there had been reports that games were going to be loaded from tape, Mical says there was no
truth in them. 'We did think about hard disk a little'"
Atari Corp. changed the internal speaker and removed the thumb-stick on the control pad before releasing it as the
Lynx, initially retailing in the US at US$179.95. Atari Corp. then showed the Lynx to the press at the Summer 1989
CES as the "Portable Color Entertainment System", which was changed to "Lynx" when actual consoles were
distributed to resellers.
The Lynx started off successful. With Atari reported that they had sold 90% of the 50,000 units it shipped in its
launch month in the U.S. with a limited launch in New York. US sales in 1990 were approximately 500,000 units
Atari Lynx
185
according to the Associated Press In late 1991, it was reported that Atari sales estimates were about 800,000, which
Atari claimed was within their expected projections. Lifetime sales by 1995 amounted to less than 7million units
when combined with the Game Gear. In comparison, the Game Boy sold 16 million units by 1995.
As with the actual console units, the game cartridges themselves evolved over the first year of the console's release.
The first generation of cartridges were flat, and were designed to be stackable for ease of storage. However, this
design proved to be very difficult to remove from the console and was replaced by a second design. This style, called
"tabbed" or "ridged", used the same basic design as the original cartridges with the addition of two small tabs on the
cartridge's underside to aid in removal. The original flat style cartridges could be stacked on top of the newer
cartridges, but the newer cartridges could not be easily stacked on each other, nor were they stored easily. Thus a
third style, the "curved lip" style was produced, and all official and third-party cartridges during the console's
lifespan were released (or re-released) using this style.
[1]
In May 1991, Sega launched its Game Gear portable gaming handheld. Also a color handheld, in comparison to the
Lynx it had a higher cost and shorter battery life (34 hours as opposed to 4-5 for the Lynx), but it was slightly
smaller and was backed up by significantly more games. In North America the Game Gear took second place, and
while in Europe sales of the Lynx were initially quite strong on the back of the popular Atari ST, it still could not
compete with the software library of the Game Gear and was eventually pushed into third place. Retailers such as
Game and Toys R Us continued to sell the Lynx well into the mid-90s on the back of the Atari Jaguar launch, helped
by magazines such as Ultimate Future Games who continued to cover the Lynx alongside the new generation of
32-bit and 64-bit consoles.
The Atari Lynx II, smaller and lighter than the
original.
During 1990, the Lynx had moderate sales. In 1991, Atari Corp.
introduced the Lynx II with a new marketing campaign, new
packaging, slightly improved hardware, better battery life and a new
sleeker look. The new system (referred to within Atari Corp. as the
"Lynx II") featured rubber hand grips and a clearer backlit color screen
with a power save option (which turned off the LCD panel's
backlighting). It also replaced the monaural headphone jack of the
original Lynx with one wired for stereo. The new packaging made the
Lynx available without any accessories, dropping the price to $99.
Although sales improved, Nintendo still dominated the handheld
market.
In 1994, Atari Corp. shifted its focus away from the Lynx. As Nintendo's Super Nintendo and Sega's Sega Genesis
filled retailers' shelves, Atari Corp. refocused its efforts on its Jaguar console. A handful of games were released
during this time, including Battlezone 2000. In 1996, Atari shut down its internal game development.
Telegames released a number of games in the second half of the 1990s, including a port of Raiden and a platformer
called Fat Bobby in 1997, as well as an action sports game called Hyperdrome in 1999. At the end of the 1990s,
Hasbro, the owners of the Atari properties at the time, released the rights to develop for the system to the public
domain. Since then a number of independent developers released games into the new decade, like Championship
Rally, CyberVirus, and Alpine Games.
[2]
Some of the late 90s/early 2000s games were under development by other
companies at one time, but rights to the game programs and all of the existing code was bought and finished by other
developers.
[3]
In 2008 Atari was honored at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for pioneering the
development of handheld games with its Lynx game unit.
On October 24, 2009, North American company Super Fighter Team released Zaku, a horizontal shooter for the
Lynx developed by PenguiNet. It was the first new game for the system since the 1990s whose game card has an
authentic "curved lip" plastic shell instead of a custom bare circuit board.
[4]
Atari Lynx
186
Reception
Although it was innovative and unique for its time, gamers found the Atari Lynx to be quite large and bulky, even
the second version of the unit.
However, the game system was reviewed in 1990 in Dragon #155 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role
of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the Lynx 5 out of 5 stars, stating that it "throws the Gameboy into the
prehistoric age", and praising the built-in object scaling capabilities, the multiplayer feature of the ComLynx cable,
and the strong set of launch games.
The motherboard of an Atari Lynx II. The larger
chip is the "Mikey" and the smaller is called
"Suzy".
The backlight from an Atari Lynx II. The CCFL
tube used is very power hungry, giving the
system short battery life.
MOS 65SC02 processor running at up to 4MHz (~3.6MHz
average)
8-bit CPU, 16-bit address space
Sound engine
4 channel sound (Lynx II with panning)
8-bit DAC for each channel (4 channels 8-bits/channel = 32
bits commonly quoted)
Video DMA driver for liquid-crystal display
4,096 color (12-bit) palette
16 simultaneous colors (4 bits) from palette per scanline (more
than 16 colors can be displayed by changing palettes after each
scanline)
Suzy (16-bit custom CMOS chip running at 16 MHz)
Graphics engine
Hardware drawing support
Unlimited number of high-speed sprites with collision
detection
Hardware high-speed sprite scaling, distortion, and tilting
effects
Hardware decoding of compressed sprite data
Hardware clipping and multi-directional scrolling
Variable frame rate (up to 75 frames/second)
160 102 standard resolution (16,320 addressable pixels)
Math co-processor
Hardware 16-bit 16-bit 32-bit multiply with optional accumulation; 32-bit 16-bit 16-bit divide
Parallel processing of CPU and a single multiply or a divide instruction
RAM: 64 KB 120ns DRAM
Storage
Cartridge - 128, 256 and 512 KB exist, up to 2 MB is possible with bank-switching logic.
Some (homebrew) carts with EEPROM to save hi-scores and other data.
Other System Support
8 System timers (2 reserved for LCD timing, one for UART)
Interrupt controller
UART (for Comlynx) (fixed format 8E1, up to 62500Bd)
512 bytes of bootstrap and game-card loading ROM
Atari Lynx
187
Ports:
Headphone port (3.5 mm stereo; wired for mono on the original Lynx)
Comlynx (multiple unit communications, serial)
LCD Screen: 3.5" diagonal
Battery holder (six AA) ~45 hours (Lynx I) ~56 hours (Lynx II)
References
[1] Atari Lynx (http:/ / www.atariage. com/ system_labels. html?SystemID=LYNX) cartridge style illustrations at AtariAge.com.
[2] Alpine Games by Duranik (http:/ / www. duranik.com)
[3] Songbird Productions' (http:/ / songbird-productions.com/ cybervirus. shtml) development page for CyberVirus
[4] Official Zaku website (http:/ / www.zaku-lynx. com/ )
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lynx (console).
Lynx (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Atari/ Lynx) at DMOZ
AtariAge Comprehensive Lynx Database and information (http:/ / www. atariage. com/ software_search.
html?SystemID=LYNX)
Guide to Atari Lynx games at Retro Video Gamer (http:/ / www. retrovideogamer. co. uk/ index.
php?page=atarilynx)
Too Powerful for Its Own Good, Atari's Lynx Remains a Favorite 25 Years Later (http:/ / www. usgamer. net/
articles/ too-good-for-its-day-ataris-lynx-remains-a-fan-favorite-25-years-later)
CP System
188
CP System
CP System
A CP System board
Manufacturer Capcom
Release date July1988
CPU Motorola 68000 (@ 10 MHz)
Display Raster, 384 224 pixels (Horizontal), 4096 colors
Input 8-way joystick, from 3 to 6 buttons
The CP System (CP shp shisutemuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) or CPS-1 is an arcade
system board developed by Capcom that ran game software stored on removable ROM cartridges. More than two
dozen arcade titles were released for CPS-1, before Capcom shifted game development over to its successor, the
CPS-2.
Capcom's Street Fighter II series is perhaps the best known franchise within the CPS game library. The first three
titles in the series, the original title, Champion Edition, and Hyper Fighting edition were all developed on CPS-1 and
highly successful.
History
After a number of arcade game boards designed to run only one game, Capcom embarked upon a project to produce
a system board that could be used to run multiple games, in order to reduce hardware costs and make the system
more appealing to arcade operators.
The system was plagued by many bootleg versions of its games. In particular, there were so many bootleg versions
of Street Fighter II, that they were more common in some countries than the official version. This problem was
virtually eliminated by Capcom in the later CP System II.
The CP System hardware was also utilized in Capcom's unsuccessful attempt at home console market penetration,
the CPS Changer (Capcom's answer to the Neo Geo AES).
CP System
189
CP System's 10 MHz 68000 CPU and graphics IC
CPU:
Primary: Motorola 68000 @ 10MHz (some later boards
12MHz)
Secondary: Zilog Z-80 @ 3.579MHz
Sound Chips:
Yamaha YM2151 @ 3.579MHz
Oki OKI6295 @ 7.576MHz, Stereo
Display
Resolution: Raster, 384x224 @ 59.6294 Hz
Color Depth: 12 bit RGB with a 4 bit brightness value
Colors available: 4096
Onscreen colors: 2048 (128 global palettes with 16 colors each)
Sprites:
Simultaneously displayable: 256 (per scanlines)
Sizes: 16x16, max. 16 colors (15 unique + 1 transparent)
Vertical and Horizontal Flipping capability
Tiles: Sizes 8x8, 16x16, 32x32 with 16 colors (15 unique + 1 transparent)
Tile Maps: 3 Maps, 512x512, 1024x1024, 2048x2048 pixel
68K RAM: 64 KB WORK RAM + 192 KB VRAM(Shadow)
PPU: 192 KB VRAM + 16 KB CACHE RAM
Z80 RAM: 2 KB WORK RAM
List of games
Release
date
Developer English title Japanese title Genre
1988-07 Capcom Forgotten Worlds Lost Worlds
( )
Shoot 'em up
1988-12 Capcom Ghouls'n Ghosts Daimakaimura
( )
Platformer
1989-03 Capcom Strider Strider Hiry
( )
Platformer
1989-04 Capcom Dynasty Wars Tenchi o Kurau
( )
Beat 'em up
1989-06 Capcom Willow Willow
( )
Platformer
1989-08 Capcom U.N. Squadron Area 88
( 88)
Shoot 'em up
1989-12 Capcom Final Fight Final Fight
( )
Beat 'em up
1990-02 Capcom 1941: Counter Attack 1941
(1941)
Shoot 'em up
CP System
190
1990-03-02 Capcom Mercs Senj no kami II
( )
Run and gun
1990-06-19 Capcom Mega Twins Chiki Chiki Boys
( )
Platformer
1990-06-23 Capcom Magic Sword - Heroic Fantasy Magic Sword
( )
Platformer
1990-10-09 Capcom Carrier Air Wing U.S. Navy
(U.S.NAVY)
Shoot 'em up
1990-11-20 Capcom Nemo Nemo
( )
Beat 'em up
1991-02-06 Capcom Street Fighter II: The World
Warrior
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
( -The World
Warrior-)
Head-to-Head Fighting
Game
1991-05-20 Capcom Three Wonders Wonder 3
( 3)
Multigame
1991-07-11 Capcom The King of Dragons The King of Dragons
( )
Beat 'em up
1991-09-28 Capcom Captain Commando Captain Commando
( )
Beat 'em up
1991-11-27 Capcom Knights of the Round Knights of the Round
( )
Beat 'em up
1992-03-13 Capcom Street Fighter II': Champion
Edition
Street Fighter II (Dash): Champion Edition
(
-Champion Edition-)
Game
1992-06-11 Capcom Adventure Quiz: Capcom World
2
Adventure Quiz Capcom World 2
(
2)
Quiz game
1992-06-12 Capcom Varth: Operation Thunderstorm Varth: Operation Thunderstorm
( -
-)
Shoot 'em up
1992-07-01 Capcom Quiz & Dragons: Capcom Quiz
Game
Quiz & Dragons
( & )
Quiz game
1992-12-09 Capcom Street Fighter II': Hyper
Fighting
Street Fighter II (Dash) Turbo: Hyper Fighting
(
-Hyper Fighting-)
Game
1994-06-08 Compile Pnickies Pnickies
( )
Puzzle game
1995-01-23 Capcom Quiz Tonosama no Yab 2:
Zenkoku-ban
Quiz Tonosama no Yab 2: Zenkoku-ban
( 2 )
Quiz game
1995-05-11 Mitchell Buster Brothers Pang! 3 -Kaittachi no kareina gogo-
( !3 - -)
Platformer
1995-09-22 Capcom Mega Man: The Power Battle Rockman: The Power Battle
( )
Fighting
CP System
191
CP System Dash
CP System Dash
A CPS-1.5 board
Manufacturer Capcom
Release date December1992
CPU Motorola 68000 (@ 10 MHz)
Display Raster, 384 224 pixels (Horizontal), 3072 colors
Input 8-way joystick, from 3 to 6 buttons
A year before releasing the CP System II, Capcom released an enhanced version of the original CP System dubbed
the CP System Dash, which had some features that would later be used in the CP System II, such as the Q-Sound
chips.
The CP System Dash boards have four interlocking PCBs and are contained in gray plastic boxes. To combat piracy,
"suicide batteries" were implemented, which power the volatile RAM which contained the ROM decryption tables.
If the batteries' voltage should drop below +2V, or if an attempt was made to dump the encryption codes, the
decryption algorithms stored in RAM would be lost, and the CPU would no longer have valid code to execute,
rendering the game inoperable, and necessitating the operator sending the board to Capcom to be fixed, at his own
expense. Unlike the CP System II, CP System Dash sound ROMs were encrypted using "Kabuki" Z80s.
List of games
Release
date
Developer English title Japanese title Genre
1992-10-02 Capcom Warriors of Fate
Sangokushi II (Asia)
Tenchi o Kurau II: Sekiheki no Tatakai
( 2 )
Beat 'em up
1993-02-01 Capcom Cadillacs and Dinosaurs Cadillacs Kyry Shinseiki
( )
Beat 'em up
1993-04-22 Capcom The Punisher The Punisher
( )
Beat 'em up
1993-07-13 Capcom Saturday Night Slam Masters Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion
( -The Body Explosion-)
Sports game
1993-12-06 Capcom Muscle Bomber Duo: Ultimate Team
Battle
Muscle Bomber Duo: Heat Up Warriors
( DUO -Heat Up
Warriors-)
Sports game
1994 Capcom/Togo/Sigma Ken Sei Mogura Ken Sei Mogura
( )
Whack a
mole
Capcom Power System Changer
A home version of the CP System, the Capcom Power System Changer was released in 1994. Capcom released the
CPS Changer as an attempt to sell their arcade games in a home-friendly format. The CPS Changer adapter was
basically an encased SuperGun (Television JAMMA adapter), and was compatible with most JAMMA standard
PCBs. Capcom's "protection" against people using the CPS Changer on other arcade boards was the physical shape
of the device. On a normal JAMMA PCB it would not attach firmly and tended to lean at odd angles, but it would
work. The CPS Changer has outputs for composite video, S-video and line-level mono audio.
CP System
192
The CPS Changer featured an adapter that allowed the user to plug in the "CPS Fighter", a joystick controller
Capcom originally released for the Super Famicom (and later the Mega Drive) when they released the Super
Famicom version of Street Fighter II in 1992.
All of the CPS Changer games were based on the CPS arcade hardware. The CPS Changer games were simply
arcade PCBs in a special plastic shell suitable for home use. This concept was later re-used in the CP System II
hardware. Some CPS1 games were changed slightly for home release, sometimes including debugging features or
other easter eggs Wikipedia:Citation needed.
The CPS Changer was sold as a package deal of the console itself, one CPS Fighter joystick controller, and the Street
Fighter II (Dash) Turbo game for 39,800 yen. Additional games were sold for about 20,000 yen.
The final game for the CPS Changer was a back-ported version of Street Fighter Zero. Originally released on the CP
System II hardware, this special CPS Changer version, released at a premium 35,000 yen, was degraded slightly for
the older hardware: it had fewer frames of animation for the game characters, fewer onscreen
colorsWikipedia:Citation needed, and the sound and music effects were sampled at a lower rate.
List of games
Release date Developer English title Japanese title Genre
1992-10-02 Capcom Warriors of Fate
Sangokushi II (Asia)
Tenchi o Kurau II: Sekiheki no Tatakai
( 2 )
Beat 'em up
1994 Capcom Capcom World 2: Adventure Quiz Adventure Quiz Capcom World 2
(
2)
Quiz game
1995 Capcom Captain Commando Captain Commando
( )
Beat 'em up
1994 Capcom Final Fight Final Fight
( )
Beat 'em up
1995 Capcom Knights of the Round Knights of the Round
( )
Beat 'em up
1995 Capcom Muscle Bomber Duo: Ultimate
Team Battle
Muscle Bomber Duo: Heat Up Warriors
( DUO -Heat Up Warriors-)
Sports game
1994 Capcom Saturday Night Slam Masters Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion
( -The Body Explosion-)
Sports game
1994 Capcom Street Fighter II': Champion
Edition
Street Fighter II Dash: Champion Edition
( -Champion
Edition-)
Versus
Fighting
1994,
pack-in
Capcom Street Fighter II': Hyper Fighting Street Fighter II Dash Turbo: Hyper Fighting
(
-Hyper Fighting-)
Versus
Fighting
1996 Capcom Street Fighter Alpha Street Fighter Zero
( ZERO)
Versus
Fighting
1995 Capcom The King of Dragons The King of Dragons
( )
Beat 'em up
CP System
193
External links
CPS-1 at System 16 - The Arcade Museum
[1]
GameSX Power Stick Analysis
[2]
looking at the features and functions of the A10CA stick.
CPS-1, CPS-2 and CPS-3 releases comparison at UVL
[3]
References
[1] http:/ / www. system16. com/ hardware. php?id=793
[2] http:/ / gamesx.com/ wiki/ doku. php?id=controls:capcompowerstick
[3] http:/ / www. uvlist. net/ groups/ compare/ cps1-hw,cps2-hw,cps3-hw
CD-i
194
CD-i
Philips CD-i
The Philips CD-i 910 and controller
Manufacturer Philips
Sony
Magnavox
Media player
Retail availability
NA
December 3, 1991
EU
1992
Discontinued 1998
Units sold
1 Million
[1][2]
Wikipedia:No original research#Primary, secondary and tertiary sources
Media CD-i, Audio CD, CD+G, Karaoke CD, VCD
CPU Philips SCC68070
Graphics Philips SCC66470
Best-selling game ?
The Philips CD-i (Compact Disc Interactive) is an interactive multimedia CD player developed and marketed by
Royal Philips N.V. This category of device was created to provide more functionality than an audio CD player or
game console, but at a lower price than a personal computer with a CD-ROM drive at the time. The cost savings
were due to the lack of a hard drive, floppy drive, keyboard, mouse, monitor (a standard television was used), and
less operating system software.
In addition to games, educational and multimedia reference titles were produced, such as interactive encyclopedias,
museum tours, etc., which were popular before public Internet access was widespread. Competitors included the
Tandy VIS and Commodore CDTV.
CD-i also refers to the multimedia Compact Disc standard used by the CD-i console, also known as Green Book,
which was developed by Philips and Sony (not to be confused with MMCD, the pre-DVD format also co-developed
by Philips and Sony). Work on the CD-i began in 1984 and it was first publicly announced in 1986.
[3]
The first
Philips CD-i player, released in 1991 and initially priced around USD $700, is capable of playing interactive CD-i
discs, Audio CDs, CD+G (CD+Graphics), Karaoke CDs, Photo CDs and Video CDs (VCDs), though the latter
requires an optional "Digital Video Card" to provide MPEG-1 decoding.
CD-i
195
Seen as a game console, the CD-i format proved to be a commercial failure. However, the device was sold until
1998, despite claims that Philips planned a discontinuation in 1996. Despite this, they lost nearly one billion dollars
on the entire project. The failure of the CD-i caused Philips to leave the video game industry after it was
discontinued.
The CD-i was also one of the earliest consoles to implement internet features, including subscriptions, web
browsing, downloading, e-mail, and online play. This was facilitated by the use of an additional hardware modem
that Philips released in 1996 for $150.
[4]
Applications
See also: List of CD-i games
Early software releases in the CD-i format focused heavily on educational, music, and self-improvement titles, with
only a handful of video games, many of them adaptations of board games such as Connect Four. Later attempts to
develop a foothold in the games market were rendered irrelevant by the arrival of cheaper and more powerful
consoles, such as the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. Earlier CD-i games included entries in popular Nintendo
franchises, although those games were not developed by Nintendo. Specifically, a Mario game (titled Hotel Mario),
and three Legend of Zelda games were released: Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's
Adventure. Nintendo and Philips had established an agreement to co-develop a CD-ROM enhancement for the Super
Nintendo Entertainment System due to licensing disagreements with Nintendo's previous partner Sony (an agreement
that produced a prototype console called the Play Station). While Philips and Nintendo never released such a
CD-ROM add-on, Philips was still contractually allowed to continue using Nintendo characters.
Applications were developed using authoring software produced by OptImage. This included OptImage's Balboa
Runtime Libraries and MediaMogul. The second company that produced authoring software was Script Systems;
they produced ABCD-I.
Philips also released several versions of popular TV game shows for the CD-i, including versions of Jeopardy!
(hosted by Alex Trebek), Name That Tune (hosted by Bob Goen), and two versions of The Joker's Wild (one for
adults hosted by Wink Martindale and one for kids hosted by Marc Summers). All CD-i games in North America
(with the exception of Name That Tune) had Charlie O'Donnell as announcer. The Netherlands also released its
version of Lingo on the CD-i in 1994.
In 1993, American musician Todd Rundgren created the first music-only fully interactive CD, No World Order, for
the CD-i. This application allows the user to completely arrange the whole album in their own personal way with
over 15,000 points of customization.
CD-i has a series of learning games ("edutainment") targeted at children from infancy to adolescence. Those
intended for a younger audience included Busytown, The Berenstain Bears, and various others which usually had
vivid cartoon-like settings accompanied by music and logic puzzles.
Although extensively marketed by Philips, notably via infomercial, consumer interest in CD-i titles remained low.
By 1994, sales of CD-i systems had begun to slow, and in 1998 the product line was dropped.
A large number of full motion video titles such as Dragon's Lair and Mad Dog McCree appeared on the system. One
of these, Burn:Cycle, is considered one of the stronger CD-i titles and was later ported to PC.
With the home market exhausted, Philips tried with some success to position the technology as a solution for kiosk
applications and industrial multimedia. The console still maintains a cult following on the
Internet.Wikipedia:Citation needed
CD-i
196
Player models
Philips models
The Philips CD-i 220
Philips CD-i 400 series
In addition to consumer models, professional and development
players were sold by Philips Interactive Media Systems and their
VARs. Philips marketed several CD-i player models.
The CD-i player 200 series, which includes the 205, 210, and
220 models. Models in the 200 series are designed for general
consumption, and were available at major home electronics
outlets around the world. The Philips CD-i 910 is the American
version of the CD-i 205, the most basic model in the series.
The CD-i player 300 series, which includes the 310, 350, 360,
and 370 models. The 300 series consists of portable players
designed for the professional market and not available to home
consumers.Wikipedia:Please clarify A popular use was
multimedia sales presentations such as those used by
pharmaceutical companies to provide product information to
physicians, as the devices could be easily transported by sales
representatives.
The CD-i player 400 series, which includes the 450, 470, 490
models. The 400 models are slimmed-down units aimed at console and educational markets. The CD-i 450 player,
for instance, is a budget model designed to compete with game consoles. In this version, an infrared remote
controller is not standard but optional.
The CD-i player 600 series, which includes the 601, 602, 604, 605, 615, 660, and 670 models. The 600 series is
designed for professional applications and software development. Units in this line generally include support for
floppy disk drives, keyboards and other computer peripherals. Some models can also be connected to an emulator
and have software testing and debugging features.
There also exist a number of hard-to-categorize models, such as the FW380i, an integrated mini-stereo and CD-i
player; the 21TCDi30, a television with a built-in CD-i device; and the CD-i 180/181/182 modular system, the first
CD-i system produced.
Other manufacturers
Besides Philips, several other manufacturers produced CD-i players, including Magnavox, GoldStar / LG
Electronics, Digital Video Systems, Memorex, Grundig, Sony ('Intelligent Discman', a portable CD-i player),
Kyocera, NBS, Highscreen, and Bang & Olufsen, who produced a television with a built-in CD-i device (Beocenter
AV5).
TeleCD-i and CD-MATICS
Recognizing the growing need among marketers for networked multimedia, Philips partnered in 1992 with
Amsterdam based CDMATICS
[5]
to develop TeleCD-i (also TeleCD). In this concept, the CD-i player is connected
to a network (PSTN, Internet or other) enabling data-communication and rich media presentation. Dutch grocery
chain Albert Heijn and mail-order giant Neckermann Shopping
[6]
were early adopters and introduced
award-winning TeleCD-i applications for their home-shopping and home-delivery services. CDMATICS also
developed the special Philips TeleCD-i Assistant
[7]
and a set of software tools helping the worldwide multimedia
industry to develop and implement TeleCD-i. TeleCD-i was the world's first networked multimedia application at the
CD-i
197
time of its introduction. In 1996, Philips acquired source code rights from CDMATICS.
A game controller for the Philips CD-i. The CD-i's controllers were
heavily criticized.
CD-i Mouse
CPU
16/32-bit 68070 CISC Chip (68000 core)
Clock Speed of 15.5MHz
Display
Graphics Chip: SCC66470, later MCD 212
Resolution: 384280 to 768560
Colors: 16.7 million w/ 32,768 on screen
MPEG 1 Cartridge Plug-In for VideoCD and Digital
Video
Audio
Sound Chip: MCD 221
ADPCM eight channel sound
16-bit stereo sound
Digital Out
[8]
Operating System
CD-RTOS (based on Microware's OS-9)
Other
1 MB of main RAM
Single speed CD-ROM drive
Weight with DV cart 1.460kg, without DV 1.210kg
CD-i accessories
CD-i mouse
Roller controller
CD-i trackball
I/O port splitter
Touchpad controller
Gamepad controller (Gravis PC GamePad)
IR wireless controller
RAM expansion and Video-CD (MPEG-1) support
with DV Cart
Peacekeeper Revolver
CD-i
198
Market competition
Interactive Kiosk (primary market)
Panasonic M2
High-end A/V (secondary market)
(multi-purpose audio/video systems)
Commodore CDTV
Pioneer LaserActive
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
Tandy Video Information System
Video game (secondary market)
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis with Sega Mega-CD/Sega CD CD-ROM expansion
Commodore CDTV
Reception
Despite Philips' aggressive promotion of CD-i, by 1993 Computer Gaming World reported that "skepticism persists
about its long-term prospects" compared to other platforms like IBM PC compatibles, Apple Macintosh, and Sega
Genesis. The CD-i was (after its discontinuation) overwhelmingly panned by critics, criticizing its price, graphics,
games and controls. In fact, the CD-i's various controllers were ranked the fifth worst video game controller by IGN
editor Craig Harris. PC World ranked it as fourth on their list of "The 10 Worst Video Game Systems of All
Time".
[9]
Gamepro.com also listed the game as number four on their list of The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All
Time.
[10]
In 2008, CNET also listed the system on its list of The worst game console(s) ever.
[11]
In 2007,
GameTrailers ranked the Philips CD-i as the fourth worst console of all time in its Top 10 Worst Console lineup.
[12]
Games that were most heavily criticized include Hotel Mario, Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
and Zelda's Adventure. EGM's Seanbaby rated The Wand of Gamelon as one of the worst games of all time.
[13]
Burn:Cycle was positively received by critics, and has often been held up as the standout title for the CD-i.
References
[1] http:/ / news.google. com/ newspapers?id=fvAjAAAAIBAJ& sjid=MO0DAAAAIBAJ& pg=6925,7664744& dq=philips+ cd-i+ owners+
worldwide& hl=en
[2] http:/ / news.google. com/ newspapers?id=IqMaAAAAIBAJ& sjid=Ii0EAAAAIBAJ& pg=6614,7897814& dq=philips+ cd-i+ 1+ million&
hl=en
[3] (2005). History of the Philips CD-i (http:/ / www.philipscdi. com/ history. htm), Philipscdi.com.
[4] http:/ / news.google. com/ newspapers?nid=1295& dat=19960215& id=4YpOAAAAIBAJ& sjid=Ox8EAAAAIBAJ& pg=5675,2427974
[5] http:/ / www. cdmatics. com
[6] http:/ / www. neckermann.com
[7] http:/ / www. philipscdi.com/ accessories/ network. htm
[8] http:/ / i. imgur. com/ Xnq3rje. png
[9] The 10 Worst Video Game Systems of All Time | PCWorld (http:/ / www. pcworld. com/ article/ 168348/
the_10_worst_video_game_systems_of_all_time. html)
[10] The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time, Feature Story from GamePro (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20110607060313/ http:/ / www.
gamepro. com/ article/ features/ 111822/ the-10-worst-selling-consoles-of-all-time/ )
[11] The worst game console(s) ever | Crave - CNET (http:/ / news. cnet. com/ 8301-17938_105-9862852-1. html)
[12] (May 6, 2007). Top Ten Worst Consoles (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ videos/ g08xm5/ gt-countdown-top-ten-worst-consoles),
GameTrailers. Accessed November 14, 2012.
CD-i
199
[13] Seanbaby.com - EGM's Crapstravaganza: The 20 Worst Games of All Time (http:/ / www. seanbaby. com/ nes/ egm06. htm)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to CD-i.
Philips CD-i (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ CD-i) at DMOZ
Official Philips CD-I FAQ (http:/ / www. consoledatabase. com/ faq/ philipscd-i/ phillipscdifaq. txt)
CD-i history (http:/ / www. philipscdi. com/ history. htm)
CD-i hardware (http:/ / www. philipscdi. com/ hardware. htm)
SNES CD-ROM at Gamers Graveyard (http:/ / www. gamersgraveyard. com/ repository/ snes/ history/
snescdrom. html)
Efficient Placement of Audio Data on Optical Disks for Real Time Applications (http:/ / www. cib. espol. edu. ec/
Digipath/ D_Papers/ 36609. pdf)
Commodore CDTV
"CDTV" redirects here. For the Chilean TV channel, see CDtv. For the Japanese music television show, see Count
Down TV. For The Compaq system, see Compaq Presario.
Commodore CDTV
Manufacturer Commodore
Type Home multimedia entertainment / Video game console / Personal computer
Release date March 1991
Media CD-ROM
Operating system AmigaOS 1.3
CPU Motorola 68000 @ 7MHz
Memory 1MB
The CDTV (an acronym for "Commodore Dynamic Total Vision", a backronym of an acronym for "Compact Disc
Television", giving it a double meaning) was a multimedia platform developed by Commodore International and
launched in March 1991.
Commodore CDTV
200
Description
CDTV was essentially a Commodore Amiga 500 home computer with a CD-ROM drive and remote control. With
the optional keyboard, mouse, and disk drive, it gained the functionality of the Amiga. Commodore marketed the
machine as an all-in-one home multimedia appliance in a home stereo-like case rather than a computer. As such, it
targeted the same market as the Philips CD-i. Unfortunately for both Commodore and Philips, the expected market
for multimedia appliances did not materialise, and neither machine met with any real commercial success. Though
the CDTV was based entirely on Amiga hardware it was marketed strictly as a CDTV, with the Amiga name omitted
from product branding.
Commodore announced the CDTV at the summer 1990 Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, promising to
release it before the end of the year with 100 software titles. The product debuted in North America in March 1991
(CES Las Vegas) and in the UK (World of Commodore 1991 at Earls Court, London). It was advertised at 499 for
the CDTV unit, remote control and two software titles. The device was released in the United States for $999.
[1]
Commodore by 1990 had a poor reputation among consumers and developers. Computer Gaming World wrote that
year of its "abysmal record of customer and technical support in the past". The company chose Amiga enthusiast
magazines as its chief advertising channel, but the Amiga community on the whole avoided the CDTV in the
expectation of an add-on CD-ROM drive for the Amiga,
[2]
which eventually came in the form of the A570. This
further hurt sales of the CDTV, as both it and an A570-equipped A500 were the same electronically, and could both
run CDTV software, so there was very little motivation to buy it. Commodore would rectify this with CDTV's
successor, the A1200-based Amiga CD32, by adding the Akiko chip. This would enable CD32 games to be playable
only on the CD32.
The CDTV was supplied with AmigaOS 1.3, rather than the more advanced and user-friendly 2.0 release that was
launched at around the same time. Notably, the CDXL motion video format was primarily developed for the CDTV
making it one of the earliest consumer systems to allow video playback from CD-ROM.
Though Commodore later developed an improved and cost-reduced CDTV-II it was never released. Commodore
eventually discontinued the CDTV in 1993 with the launch of the Amiga CD32, which again was substantially based
on Amiga hardware (in this case the newer Amiga 1200) but explicitly targeted the games market.
Commodore CDTV
201
Design
Commodore CDTV setup with 1084 monitor displaying the CDTV's audio CD
player facility.
The CDTV was intended as a media
appliance rather than a personal computer.
As such, its housing had dimensions and
styling compatible with most stereo
components, and it came with an infrared
remote control. Similarly, it was initially
sold without keyboard and mouse (which
could be added separately, and were later
bundled with the machine). The CDTV was
based on the same technology as earlier
Amiga systems, but featured a single-speed
CD-ROM drive and no floppy disk drive as
standard.
Close-up detail of the CDTV buttons.
Commodore CDTV
202
Attribute Specification
Processor Motorola 68000 at 7.16MHz (NTSC) or 7.09MHz (PAL)
RAM 1 MB Amiga Chip RAM (upgradable)
2 kB non-volatile RAM
ROM 256kB Kickstart ROM
256kB CDTV firmware ROM
Chipset Original Chip Set (OCS) or Enhanced Chip Set (ECS)
Video 12-bit color palette (4096 colors)
Graphic modes with up to 32, 64 (EHB mode) or 4096 (HAM mode) on-screen colors:
320200 to 320400i (NTSC)
320256 to 320512i (PAL)
Graphic modes with up to 16 on-screen colors:
640200 to 640400i (NTSC)
640256 to 640512i (PAL)
Audio 4 8-bit PCM channels (2 stereo channels)
28kHz maximum DMA sampling rate
Removable storage Single-speed CD-ROM drive (proprietary controller)
Input/output ports Keyboard (5 pin mini-DIN)
Mouse (4 pin mini-DIN)
RS-232 serial port (DB-25M)
Centronics style parallel port (DB-25F)
Floppy disk drive port (DB-23F)
MIDI (In and Out)
Audio/Video output
Audio out (2 RCA and 6.35mm stereo phone jack)
Analog RGB video out (DB-23M)
RF audio/video out (RCA
[a]
or RF loop through
[b]
)
Composite video out (RCA)
[a][b]
S-Video out (4-pin mini-DIN)
[a]
SCART audio/video out
[c]
Expansion slots Proprietary card slot by ITT-Cannon and Fujisoku from 8 to 1024KB non-volatile memory
cards
(1MB addressing needs a hardware hack)
80-pin diagnostic slot
30-pin DMA expansion slot
Video slot
Operating system AmigaOS 1.3 (Kickstart 1.3/Workbench 1.3) and CDTV firmware
Physical dimensions 430330 95mm (W D H)
Other Wireless infrared remote control/gamepad (40kHz)
Front panel with display and controls for CD player
Commodore CDTV
203
Notes
a.
^
North American model
b.
^
UK model
c.
^
European model
Official upgrades
The CDTV was compatible with many existing Amiga peripherals. In addition, official CDTV peripherals and
upgrades included:
Wireless infrared mouse
Wireless trackball
Black styled keyboard
SCSI controller providing both an internal and external SCSI connector for hard disk drives and other SCSI
devices
External black styled hard disk drive
External black styled floppy disk drive (CD1411)
Proprietary memory cards with a capacity of 64 or 256 kB (CD1401/CD1405) allowing storage of game scores
and progress
Genlocks for NTSC or PAL (CD1300/CD1301) to overlay video signal with a secondary video source
Versions
CDTV: CDTV unit and remote control/gamepad
Pro pack: CDTV unit, remote control/gamepad, keyboard, mouse and floppy disk drive, along with Almathera
CDPD Public Domain software compilation on CD-ROM
Market competition
High-end A/V (primary market)
(multi-purpose audio/video systems)
Philips' CD-i
Pioneer's LaserActive
Video gaming (secondary market)
NEC PC Engine with Super CD-ROM expansion
Nintendo's SNES
Sega Mega Drive with CD-ROM expansion
The 3DO Company's 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
References
[1] Beaver County Times-Apr5th,1991-Commodore puts computer into TV. (http:/ / news. google. com/ newspapers?nid=2002&
dat=19910405& id=JrgiAAAAIBAJ& sjid=KrUFAAAAIBAJ& pg=1310,801379)
[2] http:/ / tidbits. com/ article/ 3515
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Commodore CDTV.
Game Boy
204
Game Boy
For the entire Game Boy line of handheld consoles, see Game Boy line.
Game Boy
Product family Game Boy line
Retail availability
JP
April 21, 1989
NA
July 31, 1989
EU
September 28, 1990
Units sold Worldwide: 118.69 million (including Game Boy (Play it Loud!), Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Light and Color units)
Media Game Boy cartridges, referred to as Game Paks.
Best-selling game Tetris, 30.26 million (pack-in/separately)
Pokmon Red and Blue, 23.64 million approximately (as of January 18, 2009).
Predecessor Game & Watch
Successor Game Boy Pocket (redesign)
Game Boy Light (redesign)
Game Boy Color (successor)
The Game Boy ( Gmu BiHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is an 8-bit handheld video
game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on April21,1989, in North America
in August1989, and in Europe on September28,1990. It is the first handheld console in the Game Boy line, and was
created by Gunpei Yokoi and Nintendo Research & Development 1the same staff who had designed the Game &
Watch series as well as several popular games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Redesigned versions were
released in 1996 and 1998, in the form of Game Boy Pocket, and Game Boy Light (Japan only), respectively.
The Game Boy is Nintendo's second handheld system following the Game & Watch series introduced in 1980, and it
combined features from both the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game & Watch. It was originally bundled with
the puzzle game Tetris.
As part of the fourth generation of gaming, the Game Boy competed with the Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and the
TurboExpress. Despite these other technologically superior handheld consoles, the Game Boy was a tremendous
success. The Game Boy and its successor, the Game Boy Color, have both combined sold 118.69 million units
Game Boy
205
worldwide. Upon its release in the United States, it sold its entire shipment of one million units within a few
weeks.
[1]
Hardware
The right side of the Game Boy, showing the volume
control and the extension connector, with detached
protector.
The Game Boy has four operation buttons labeled "A", "B",
"SELECT", and "START", as well as a directional pad.
[2]
There is
a volume control dial on the right side of the console and a similar
knob on the left side to adjust the contrast.
[3]
At the top of the
Game Boy, a sliding on-off switch and the slot for the Game Boy
cartridges are located.
[4]
Nintendo recommends users leave a
cartridge in the slot to prevent dust and dirt from entering the
system.
[5]
The Game Boy also contains optional input and/or output connectors. On the left side of the system is an external
power supply jack that allows users to use an external rechargeable battery pack or AC adapter (sold separately)
instead of four AA batteries.
[6]
The Game Boy requires 6V DC of at least 150mA. A 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
is located on the bottom side of the console which allows users to listen to the audio with headphones or speakers.
[7]
The right-side of the device offers a port which allows a user to connect to another Game Boy system via a link
cable, provided both users are playing the same game.
[8]
The port can also be used to connect a Game Boy Printer.
The link cable was originally designed for players to play head-to-head two-player games such as in Tetris.
However, game developer Satoshi Tajiri would later use the link cable technology as a method of communication
and networking in the popular Pokmon video game series.
A Game Boy, opened
Main article: Comparison of Nintendo portable consoles
CPU: Custom 8-bit Sharp LR35902 core at 4.19MHz. This processor is
similar to an Intel 8080 in that none of the registers introduced in the Z80
are present. However, some of the Z80's instruction set enhancements over
the stock 8080, particularly bit manipulation, are present. Still other
instructions are unique to this particular flavor of Z80 CPU. The core also
contains integrated sound generation.
RAM: 8 kB internal S-RAM (can be extended up to 32 kB)
Video RAM: 8 kB internal
ROM: On-CPU-Die 256-byte bootstrap; 256 kb, 512 kb, 1 Mb, 2 Mb, 4 Mb and 8 Mb cartridges
Sound: 2 pulse wave generators, 1 PCM 4-bit wave sample (64 4-bit samples played in 164 bank or 232 bank)
channel, 1 noise generator, and one audio input from the cartridge. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones
provide stereo sound (for further information, see Game Boy music)
Display: Reflective STN LCD 160 144 pixels
Frame Rate: Approx. 59.7 frames per second on a regular Game Boy, 61.1 on a Super Game Boy
Vertical Blank Rate: Approx 1.1ms
Screen size: 66mm (2.6in) diagonal
Color Palette: 2-bit (4 shades of "gray" {light to very dark olive green})
Communication: Up to 2 Game Boys can be linked together via built-in serial ports, up to 4 with a DMG-07
4-player adapter.
Power: 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide 1530+ hours)
Game Boy
206
Dimensions: 90mm (W) 148mm (H) 32mm (D) / 3.5 5.8 1.3
Launch games
Launch Title Japan North America Europe
Super Mario Land Yes Yes Yes
Alleyway Yes Yes Yes
Baseball Yes Yes Yes
Yakuman
Yes
No
[9]
No
Tetris Yes Yes Yes
Tennis Yes Yes Yes
Revisions
Play It Loud!
Transparent Game
Boy Play It Loud!
On January 1, 1995, Nintendo released several Game Boy models with colored cases,
advertising them in the "Play It Loud!" campaign (Japanese name: Game Boy Bros. /
/ ). Specifications for this unit
remain exactly the same as the original Game Boy, including the monochromatic screen. This
new line of colored Game Boys would set a precedent for later Nintendo handhelds; the Game
Boy Pocket, the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance (including the SP and Micro), Nintendo
DS (including the Lite, DSi, DSi XL), and Nintendo 3DS (including XL, 2DS) all feature
different colored units. Play It Loud! units were manufactured in red, green, black, yellow,
white, blue, and clear (transparent) cases. Most common are the Clear and yellow. Black, Red
and green are less common. Blue is scarce and the White was a Japanese ONLY release. White
remains the RAREST of all the Play it Loud Colours. A rare, limited edition Manchester United Game Boy is red,
with the logos of the team emblazoned on it. It was released simultaneously with the Play it Loud! handhelds in the
United Kingdom. The Play It Loud's screens also have a darker border than the normal Game Boy.
Game Boy Pocket
The 1st release
Game Boy Pocket
In 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket: a smaller, lighter unit that requires fewer
batteries. It has space for two AAA batteries, which provides approximately 10 hours of game
play. The Pocket has a smaller link port, which requires an adapter to link with the older Game
Boy. The port design is used on all subsequent Game Boy models, excluding the Game Boy
Micro. The screen was changed to a true black-and-white display, rather than the "pea soup"
monochromatic display of the original Game Boy. Also, the Game Boy Pocket (GBP) has a
larger screen than the Game Boy Color (GBC) that later superseded it. The GBP's screen has a
65mm (2.56in) diagonal, 48.5mm (1.91in) width, and 43.5mm (1.71in) height, compared to
a 59mm (2.32in) diagonal for the GBC. Although, like its predecessor, the Game Boy Pocket
has no backlight to allow play in a darkened area, it did notably improve visibility and pixel
response-time (virtually eliminating video ghosting). The first version did not have a power LED. This was soon
added due to public demand, along with new Game Boy Pocket units of different colors (released on April 28, 1997),
Game Boy
207
some of them new to the Game Boy line. There were several limited-edition Game Boy Pockets including a metallic
Ice Blue unit and a pink model exclusive to Japan. The Game Boy Pocket was not a new software platform and
played the same software as the original Game Boy model.
Game Boy Light
Game Boy Light
The Game Boy Light was released on April 14, 1998 for 6,800 and was only available in
Japan. The Game Boy Light is only slightly bigger than the Game Boy Pocket and features an
Electroluminescent backlight for low-light conditions. It uses 2 AA batteries, which gave it
approximately 20 hours with the light off and 12 with it on. It was available in two standard
colors, gold and silver, as well as numerous special editions - an Astro Boy edition with a clear
case with an Astro Boy picture on it, an Osamu Tezuka World shop edition with a clear red
case and a picture of his characters, a solid yellow Pokmon Center Tokyo version, a clear
'skeleton' Famitsu edition which had only 5,000 units released, and a clear yellow edition
separate from the Pokmon Center Tokyo version.
It was the only handheld Nintendo produced with a lit screen until the release of the Game Boy Advance SP in 2003.
Reception
In its first two weeks in Japan, from its release on April 21, 1989, the entire stock consisting of 300,000 units was
sold; a few months later, the Game Boy's release in the United States on July 31, 1989 saw 40,000 units sold on its
first day. The Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide, with 32.47
million units in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in other regions. By Japanese fiscal year
1997, before Game Boy Color's release in late-1998, the Game Boy alone had sold 64.42 million units worldwide.
At the time of its release, the Atari Lynx was also just being introduced to the market. This system featured color
graphics, a backlit screen, and networking capabilities. However, its release price of $189.95 and substantial
requirement of 6 AA batteries that would provide roughly only four or five hours of gameplay (compared to 1012
hours on 4 AA batteries and a release price of $89.99 for the Game Boy) doomed it to a second-rate status. Nintendo
also experienced heavy competition from Sega's Game Gear. To promote its new color console, Sega aired a number
of negative ad campaigns in the United States that mocked the Game Boy's monochrome display compared to Game
Gear's full color display. Like the Lynx, it too required six AA batteries that only lasted about 46 hours and was
much more expensive than the Game Boy; however, the Game Gear had the advantage of being fully compatible
(with an adapter) with all Master System games. While not as successful as the Game Boy, it sold from 1991 until
early 1997, and sold around 11 million units in total.
In 1995, Nintendo of America announced that 46% of Game Boy players were female, which was higher than the
percentage of female players for both the Nintendo Entertainment System (29%) and Super Nintendo Entertainment
System (14%). In 2009, the Game Boy was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, 20 years after its
introduction. As of June 6, 2011, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are available on the Virtual Console
service on the Nintendo 3DS's Nintendo eShop.
Game Boy
208
References
[1] Kent 2001, p. 416. "According to an article in Time magazine, the one million Game Boys sent to the United States in 1989 met only half the
demand for the product. That allotment sold out in a matter of weeks and its black and white (except for Konami/Factor 5 games and SeaQuest
DSV,, was shown in color like the Game Gear version."
[2] Owner's Manual, p. 5. "(12) Operation buttons The controls for playing games. (See game manuals for button functions.)"
[3] Owner's Manual, pp. 45. "(5) Volume dial (VOL) Adjusts the sound volume(7)Contrast adjustment (CONTRAST) Adjusts the
contrast of the display."
[4] Owner's Manual, pp. 34. "(3) Game Pak slot Insert the Nintendo GAME BOY Game Pak here. (See page 7 for instructions on inserting
Game Pak)"
[5] [5] Owner's Manual, p. 10. "To avoid dust and dirt getting in the Game Boy unit, always leave a Game Pak inserted when not in use."
[6] Owner's Manual, p. 4. "(2) External power supply jack You can connect a Rechargeable Battery Pack (sold separately) for longer play."
[7] Owner's Manual, p. 5. "(10) Headphone jack (PHONES) Connect the stereo headphones that come with the GAME BOY to enjoy the
impressive sounds of games without disturbing others around you...."
[8] Owner's Manual, pp. 4, 8. "(4) Extension connector (EXT CONNECTOR) Connects to other GAME BOYDo not insert different games
in the interconnected Game Boys."
[9] Yakuman (http:/ / www. mobygames.com/ game/ gameboy/ yakuman) at MobyGames
Game Boy Compact Video Game System Owner's Manual. Nintendo. 1989. DMG-GB-UKV.
Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games (1st ed.). Roseville, CA: Prima Publishing.
ISBN0-7615-3643-4.
Hand-held electronic game - Design patent for the case (http:/ / www. google. com/ patents/ USD318884)
External links
Media related to Game Boy at Wikimedia Commons
Official website (http:/ / gameboy. com/ )
Game Boy (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080312035507/ http:/ / register. nintendo. com/
systemsclassic?type=gb) at Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ www. nintendo.
com/ systemsclassic?type=gb) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Game Boy (original) games list (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/ dmg_games. pdf) at Nintendo.com (archived
from the original (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070930050614/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/
dmg_games. pdf) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Game Boy (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/ Game_Boy) at
DMOZ
Game_Boy at Nintendopedia.
Game Boy Color
209
Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
Purple version of the Game Boy Color.
Generation Fifth generation
Release date
JP
October 21, 1998
NA
November 18, 1998
PAL
November 23, 1998
AUS
November 27, 1998
Discontinued 2003
Units sold Worldwide: 118.69 million, including Game Boy units
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Custom, Zilog Z80-
Best-selling game Pokmon Gold and Silver, approximately 14.51 million combined (in Japan and the US) (details).
Backward
compatibility
Game Boy
Predecessor Game Boy Pocket
Successor Game Boy Advance
The Game Boy Color ( Gmu Bi KarHelp:Installing Japanese character sets),
referred as GBC, is a handheld game console manufactured by Nintendo. It was released on October 21, 1998 in
Japan and was released in November of the same year in International markets. It is the successor of the Game Boy
Game Boy Color
210
Pocket.
The Game Boy Color, as suggested by the name, features a color screen. It is slightly thicker and taller than the
Game Boy Pocket, which is a redesigned Game Boy released in 1996. As with the original Game Boy, it has an 8-bit
processor and the custom Zilog Z80 central processing unit (CPU).
As part of the fifth generation of gaming (from 1997), the Game Boy Color's primary competitors were the SNK's
Neo Geo Pocket and the Bandai's WonderSwan (JDM only), though the Game Boy Color outsold these by a huge
margin. The Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide. It was not
discontinued until the release of the Game Boy Advance SP, a redesigned Game Boy Advance in 2003.
History
The Game Boy Color was a response to pressure from game developers for a new and much more sophisticated
system of playing, as they felt that the Game Boy, even in its latest incarnation, the Game Boy Pocket, was
insufficient.Wikipedia:Citation needed The resultant product was backward compatible, a first for a handheld
system, and leveraged the large library of games and great installed base of the predecessor system. This became a
major feature of the Game Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than
any of its competitors.
Launch titles
Tetris DX
Wario Land II
Pocket Bomberman
Specifications
Summary
Game Boy Color
211
Game Boy Color Rear disassembled
The technical details for the console are as follows:
Main processor: Sharp Corporation LR35902 (based on the
popular Zilog Z80, 8-bit)
Processor speed: 4 or 8MHz (two processor modes)
Resolution: 160 x 144 pixels (same as the original Game Boy)
Palette colors available: 32,768 (15-bit)
Colors on screen: Supports 10, 32 or 56
Maximum sprites: 40 total, 10 per line, 4 colors per sprite (one of
which being transparent)
Sprite size: 8x8 or 8x16
Tiles on screen: 512 (360~399 visible, the rest are drawn off screen
as a scrolling buffer)
Audio: 2 square wave channels, 1 wave channel, 1 noise channel,
mono speaker, stereo headphone jack
ROM: 8MB maximum
RAM: 32kB
VRAM: 16kB
Cartridge RAM: 128kB
Power:
internal: 2 AA batteries, 30+ hours of gameplay
external: 3VDC 0.6W
indicator: Red LED
Input:
8-way D-Pad
4 buttons (A, B, Start, Select)
Volume potentiometer
Power switch
Serial I/O ("Link cable"): 512kbit/s with up to 4 connections in serial
Infra-red I/O: Less than 2m distance at 45
Cartridge I/O
Dimensions:
Metric: 75mm x 27mm x 133mm
Imperial: 2.95 in x 1.06 in x 5.24 in
The processor, which is a Z80 workalike made by Sharp with a few extra (bit manipulation) instructions, has a clock
speed of approximately 8MHz, twice as fast as that of the original Game Boy. The Game Boy Color also has three
times as much memory as the original (32 kilobytes system RAM, 16 kilobytes video RAM). The screen resolution
was the same as the original Game Boy, which is 160x144 pixels.
The Game Boy Color also featured an infrared communications port for wireless linking. The feature was only
supported in a few games, so the infrared port was dropped from the Game Boy Advance line, though wireless
linking would return (using Wi-Fi) in the Nintendo DS line. The console was capable of showing up to 56 different
colors simultaneously on screen from its palette of 32,768 (8x4 color background palettes, 8x3+transparent sprite
palettes), and could add basic four-, seven- or ten-color shading to games that had been developed for the original
4-shades-of-grey Game Boy. In the 7-color modes, the sprites and backgrounds were given separate color schemes,
and in the 10-color modes the sprites were further split into two differently-colored groups; however, as flat black (or
white) was a shared fourth color in all but one (7-color) palette, the overall effect was that of 4, 6 or 8 colors. This
Game Boy Color
212
novel method of upgrading the color count did result in graphic artifacts in certain games; for example, sometimes a
sprite that was supposed to meld into the background would be colored separately, making it easily noticeable.
Cartridges
Games that are designed specifically for the Game Boy Color are housed in clear-colored cartridges and are shaped
slightly different from original Game Boy games. They will function in neither the earlier Game Boy models or both
Super Game Boy models, the latter two being cartridges that could be inserted into a Super Nintendo or Super
Famicom that allowed one to play Game Boy games on the system in limited color (even if such cartridges fit in the
systems, they would simply display a warning message and refuse to play). Games that are designed for the Game
Boy Color, but which also include backwards-compatibility with the previous Game Boy systems, are shaped like
original Game Boy games, but usually have black colored cartridges. Pokmon Gold and Silver are also examples of
Game Boy Color games that work on an original Game Boy system. The clear-colored Game Boy Color cartridges
will function correctly only when used in a Game Boy Color or a later model (a Game Boy Advance, Game Boy
Advance SP or Game Boy Player).
Color palettes used for original Game Boy games
Directional pad Action button
None A B
Up Brown Red Dark brown
Down Pastel mix Orange Yellow
Left Blue Dark blue Grayscale
Right Green Dark green Inverted
When playing an original Game Boy game on a later system, the user can choose which color palette is used. This is
achieved by pressing certain button combinations, namely either A or B (or neither) and a direction key while the
Game Boy logo is displayed on the screen.
These palettes each contain up to ten colors. In most games, the four shades displayed on the original Game Boy
would translate to different subsets of this 10-color palette, such as by displaying movable sprites in one subset and
backgrounds, etc. in another. The grayscale (Left + B) palette produces an appearance essentially identical to that
experienced on the original Game Boy, the inverted colors palette (Right + B) inverts the colors from the Game Boy
Color's color palettes.
Illustrated color-samples of the palettes for the
different key-combinations. Any color crossed
out will be present in palette RAM, but rendered
as transparent.
In addition, 93 Wikipedia:Citation needed Game Boy games have a
special palette that is enabled when no buttons are pressed. Any game
that does not have a special palette will default to the dark green (Right
+ A) palette. The default palettes are stored in a database within the
internal boot ROM of the GBC, and not the game cartridge itself.
[1]
Super Game Boy titles will work too. Despite compatibility with Super
Game Boy titles, the Game Boy Color will not recognize the coloring
header for Super Game Boy titles which have a color graphics system
of its own.
Partial List of games with special palettes
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
Kirby's Dream Land
Game Boy Color
213
Kirby's Dream Land 2
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Pokemon Red and Blue
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Tetris (Game Boy)
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Hi-Color Mode
A few games used a technical trick to increase the number of colors available on-screen. This "Hi-Color mode" is a
mode used by the Italian company 7th Sense s.r.l. among others, and can display more than 2000 different colors on
the screen. Some examples of games using this trick are The Fish Files and The New Addams Family Series.
Colors produced
See also: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy Color
The Atomic Purple Game Boy Color system has a
purple tinted transparent case. It is a standard
color.
The logo for Game Boy Color spelled out the word COLOR (US
spelling) in the five original colors in which the unit was
manufactured. They were named:
Berry (C)
Grape (O)
Kiwi (L)
Dandelion (O)
Teal (R)
Another color released at the same time was "Atomic Purple", made of
a transparent purple plastic that was also used on the color-respective
Nintendo 64 controller.
Other colors were sold as limited editions or in specific countries.
Games
Main article: List of Game Boy Color games
The last Game Boy Color game released in Japan that was also compatible with the Game Boy and Super Game Boy
was From TV Animation One Piece: Maboroshi no Grand Line Boukenhen! (July 2002). The last Game Boy and
Super Game Boy compatible game released there was Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 (September 2001). The last North
American Game Boy Color-exclusive game, however, was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Although it
was released on different consoles, the Game Boy Color featured an exclusive version.
With the release of the Nintendo 3DS the Virtual Console service is also available for the 3DS and it allows players
to play games from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. More games for both systems have also been planned for
release on the 3DS.
Game Boy Color
214
Sales
The Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide, with 32.47 million units
in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in other regions.
References
[1] Disassembling the GBC Boot ROM (http:/ / www. vintage-computer. com/ vcforum/ showthread.
php?19247-Disassembling-the-GBC-Boot-ROM& p=128734)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Boy Color.
Game Boy Color (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ systems/ gameboy/ index. jsp) at Nintendo.com (
archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ www. nintendo. com/ systemsclassic?type=gbc) at the
Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
(http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/ cgb_games. pdf) at Nintendo.com (archived from "the original" (http:/ / web.
archive. org/ web/ 20060903070828/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/ cgb_games. pdf). Archived from the
original (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ gameslist/ manuals/ cgb_games. pdf) on 2006-09-03. at the
Game Boy Color (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/
Game_Boy_Color) at DMOZ
Hartung Game Master
215
Hartung Game Master
Game Master
Release date DE
1990
Media Cartridges
Power 6V DC external power supply
CPU NEC upd7810
Display 64x64 resolution
Input 40-pin ROM Cartridges
Dimensions 170 x 97 x 33mm
The Game Master is a handheld game console designed to compete with the Nintendo Game Boy. In Germany it
was marketed by Hartung, while in the UK it was released as the Systema 2000 by already well established maker of
cheap LCD games Systema. It was also sold under alternate names in other countries, including Super Game and
Game Tronic. The Game Master has a 64 x 64 monochrome LCD screen capable of displaying graphics on par with
the Atari 2600.
The design was much like the Sega Game Gear with a D-Pad and 2 action buttons, although another variation, the
Game Plus, features a more Game Boy-like design. The cartridges resemble those used by the Watara Supervision,
with the card edge of the cartridge jutted out past the plastic of the cartridge. The Game Master utilizes a 40-pin
cartridge port like the Supervision but is not compatible with Supervision games.
CPU: NEC upd7810
Screen: 64 x 64 Low Resolution LCD
Color: monochrome black/white tones
Power Switch
External Power Supply Jack (DC6V)
Contrast Adjustment
4 Way directional pad
Headphone jack (unit includes small stereo headphones)
Speaker built-in
A & B buttons
Select button
Start button
Volume controller
Dimensions: 170 x 97 x 33mm
Hartung Game Master
216
Input: 40-pin cartridge slot
Games
Bomb Disposer
Bubble Boy
Car Racing
Continental Galaxy
Dungeon Adventure
Falling Block
Go Bang!
Hyper Space
Invader
Kung Fu
Move It
Pin Ball
S-Race
Soccer (Fuss-Ball)
Space Castle
Tank War
Tennis
Urban Champion
References
External links
Images of the guts of a Game Master (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20120206060224/ http:/ / www. angrypixel.
net/ pressstart/ index. php?s=content& p=insidehgm)
GM2001, a Game Master emulator (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20091027092121/ http:/ / geocities. com/
Athens/ Aegean/ 5127/ )
Multi-System Emulator that supports Hartung Game Master (http:/ / www. mess. org/ )
Konix Multisystem
217
Konix Multisystem
Konix Multisystem
Manufacturer Konix
Type video game console
Release date cancelled
Media Cartridge
CPU 16-bit 8086 processor
Storage Custom 880KB 3.5" disk drive
Related articles Atari Jaguar
Konix was a British computer peripheral company primarily known for making joysticks such as the distinctive
Speed King during the 1980s. Although this was its primary business for years, its place in videogame folklore was
cemented by its ambitious and ultimately ill-fated plans to release its own video game console, the Konix
Multisystem.
Background
The Konix Multisystem began life in 1988 as an advanced Konix peripheral design intended to build on the success
of the company's range of joysticks. The design, codenamed Slipstream, resembled a dashboard-style games
controller, and could be configured with a steering wheel, a flight yoke, and motorbike handles. It promised
advanced features such as force feedback, hitherto unheard of in home gaming.
However, it soon became apparent that the Slipstream project had the potential to be much more than a peripheral.
Konix turned to their sister company Creative Devices Ltd, a computer hardware developer, to design a gaming
computer to be put inside the controller to make it a stand-alone console in its own right. It was shortly after this
development began that Konix founder and chairman Wyn Holloway came across a magazine article that described
the work of a British group of computer hardware designers whose latest design was looking for a home.
The article in question, published in issue 10 of ACE magazine in July 1988, featured Flare Technology, a group of
computer hardware designers whom, having split from Sinclair Research (creators of the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum
home computers), had built on their work on Sinclair's aborted Loki project to create a system known as Flare One.
Flare's prototype system was Z80 based but featured four custom chips to give it the power to compete with peers
such as the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST. The 1MB machine (128k of ROM, 128k of video RAM, 768k of
system RAM) promised graphics with 256 colours on-screen simultaneously, could handle 3 million pixels per
second, output 8 channel stereo and had a blitter chip that allowed vertical and horizontal hardware scrolling.
Flare were specifically aiming their machine at the gaming market, eschewing such features as 80 column text
display (considered the requisite for business applications such as word processing) in favour of faster graphics
handling. This meant that in spite of its modest 8-bit CPU the system compared well against the 16-bit machines in
the market at the time. It could move sprites and block graphics faster than an Atari ST, and in 256 colours under
conditions when the ST would only show 16 colours. It could also draw lines 3 times faster than an Amiga and even
handle the maths of 3D models faster than the 32-bit Acorn Archimedes.
In spite of these specifications and bearing in mind their target gaming market, Flare aimed to retail their machine
for around 200, half of what the Amiga and ST were selling for. Ultimately, Flare's resources to put it into mass
production were limited.
Konix Multisystem
218
Development
Holloway approached Flare and proposed a merger of their respective technologies to create an innovative new kind
of gaming console with the computer hardware built into the main controller and in July 1988 a partnership was
formed. Development work was carried out by Flare, with assistance from British games programmer Jeff Minter.
Konix wanted the machine to use a 16-bit processor, so the Z80 was removed and replaced with an 8086 processor.
They also demanded that the colour palette be expanded to 4096 colours, the same as that of the Amiga. To reduce
manufacturing costs, the Flare One's four custom chips were integrated into one large chip. In order to keep the cost
of software down, it was decided that the software media would be 3.5 floppy discs rather than ROM cartridges
used universally by consoles up to that time.
The embryonic console was revealed to the computing press at a toy fair held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in
February 1989. It boasted market leading performance, MIDI support and revolutionary peripherals including a light
gun with recoil action and the Power Chair, a motorised seat designed to ape in the home what sit-in arcade games
such as After Burner and Out Run delivered in the arcades using hydraulics. Another innovative feature was the
ability to link 2 MultiSystems together to allow for head-to-head two player gaming. Release was slated for August
that year.
Several games in development produced a version for the Konix Multisystem, including Vivid Image's Hammerfist.
Specifications
CPU: 16-bit 8086 processor (running at 6MHz)
Co-processor: ASIC processor
RAM: 256KB (in later versions upgraded to 512K)
Graphics:
Custom blitter
4096 colour palette
Resolutions:
256x200 (256 colours)
512x200 (16 colours)
256x200 (16 colours)
Sound:
Custom RISC-based DSP
Stereo sound
Storage: Custom 880KB 3.5" disk drive
Misc: Cartridge expansion slot
Issues and limitations
Despite the impressive specification on paper, the design did suffer from some limitations. Nick Speakman of
software developer Binary Designs pointed out that the custom chips are very powerful, but they require a lot of
programming talent to get anything out of them. The screen handling [also] isn't as fast as we anticipated it to be.
Brian Pollock of software publisher Logotron highlighted the limitations caused by the shortage of RAM (kept low
to keep prices down), My only concern is memory, or lack of it. For instance, in the game that I'm writing I am
using six-channel FM synthesized sound. Now that takes up a hell of a lot of memory. I couldn't usefully fit any
more samples, and that's sad.
The memory issue was also flagged by Crash magazine, which pointed out that the floppy disk format meant that
games had to be loaded into the machine's RAM (originally intended to be 128k) in turn requiring the system to be
Konix Multisystem
219
constantly accessing the disk drive. Konix intended to remedy the problem with RAM upgrade cartridges, provided
that the price of RAM fell in the future.
Overall though, programmers received the system positively. Jeff Minter described the controller itself as superb,
while Chris Walsh of Argonaut Games stated that Polygon based games like Starglider 2 are going to be easy to
program. The machine is geared up to rotating masses of vertices at incredible rates.
Numerous game developers were recruited to produce games for the system, including Jeff Minter's Llamasoft,
Electronic Arts, Psygnosis, Ocean, Palace and U.S. Gold, with Konix promising 40 games to be available by
Christmas. Lucasfilm was mooted as a developer with the possibility of releasing their own branded version of the
machine in the US, but nothing was ever confirmed.
[1]
Games known to be in development for the system during 1988 included Llamasoft's Attack of the Mutant Camels,
System 3's Last Ninja 2, Vivid Image's Hamerfist, and Logotron's Star Ray.
Demise
Signs of trouble in the progress to the release of the console did not take long to arrive. By May the release date had
slipped from August to October. By October, a first quarter 1990 release was envisaged. The December edition of
The Games Machine magazine revealed the scale of the problem. According to company sources, Konix had been on
the brink of calling in receivers. Cheques had bounced, employees hadn't been paid and software development had
been brought to a halt in mid-October as developers had reached the stage where they could continue no further
without a finished machine.
In March 1990 it was revealed that Konix had sold the rights to sell their joystick range in the UK to Spectravision
who also manufactured the rival QuickShot joystick range. They had effectively sold off the family silver in order to
keep the MultiSystem project alive. Autumn 1990 was to be the new release time.
Eventually, beset by delays and in spite of all of the media coverage and apparent demand for the machine, the
project ultimately went under when Konix ran out of cash without a completed system ever being released. Some
people, including Holloway, contend that this was due to major international competitors leaning on Konix's
suppliers and financiers to prevent the project reaching the market.
Legacy
After the project was abandoned, Flare Technology began work on a new project, Flare Two, which was eventually
bought by Atari and, after further development, formed the basis for the Atari Jaguar game console.
The original Flare One technology was purchased by arcade gambling machine manufacturer Bellfruit for use in
their quiz machines. Drivers for these games are also included in the multi emulator MAME.
[2]
The Konix Multisystem's design was later released independently by a Chinese company called MSC (MultiSystem
China) as the MSC Super MS-200E Multi-System, although this was simply an inexpensive PC games controller,
without any special internal hardware.
In terms of its long lasting impact on the video game industry, perhaps the most intriguing aspect is Wyn Holloway's
claim that Lucasfilm had their frequent partner Sony lined up to manufacture their version of the system, this being
contemporaneous with Sony's development of the SNES-CD for Nintendo, which ultimately led to the first
PlayStation.
Video taped footage showing several games being worked on for the system survives. Excerpts from the footage
were later issued on the cover disc of issue 8 of Retro Gamer magazine.
Konix Multisystem
220
References
[1] Interview with Wyn Holloway at the Konix MultiSystem Archive (http:/ / www. konixmultisystem. co. uk/ index. php?id=interviews&
content=wyn#start)
[2] MAME page for Bellfruit's Flare One applications (http:/ / mamedev. org/ source/ src/ mame/ drivers/ bfcobra. c. html)
Konix MultiSystem Archive (http:/ / www. konixmultisystem. co. uk/ index. php?id=home)
Zogging Hell Page on the Konix Multisystem (http:/ / www. zhell. co. uk/ konix. html)
External links
At Old-Computers.com (http:/ / old-computers. com/ museum/ computer. asp?st=2& c=1024)
Press coverage (http:/ / home. wanadoo. nl/ hessel. meun/ konix/ konix-menu. htm)
The MSC Multi-System (http:/ / home. wanadoo. nl/ hessel. meun/ msc/ msc-main. htm)
Mega Drive
221
Mega Drive
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
Top: Original Japanese Mega Drive
Bottom: Sega Genesis Model 2
Other variations are pictured under Variations below
Manufacturer Sega
Release date
JP
October 29, 1988
NA
August 14, 1989
PAL
November 30, 1990
Discontinued
WW
1997 (Sega)
NA
1999 (Majesco)
NA
Ongoing (AtGames)
EU
Ongoing (Blaze Europe)
BR
Ongoing (Tec Toy)
Units sold Estimated at 40 million
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Motorola 68000 and Zilog Z80
Online services Sega Meganet, Sega Channel, XBAND
Best-selling game Sonic the Hedgehog (pack-in sales only), 15 million
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (pack-in), 6 million
Disney's Aladdin, 4 million
Backward
compatibility
Master System through use of Power Base Converter peripheral
Predecessor Master System
Successor Sega Saturn
The Sega Genesis, known as Mega Drive (Japanese: Hepburn: Mega DoraibuHelp:Installing
Japanese character sets) in most regions outside North America, is a 16-bit video game console which was developed
and sold by Sega Enterprises, Ltd. The Genesis is Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega
first released the console as the Mega Drive in Japan in 1988, followed by a North American debut under the
Mega Drive
222
Genesis moniker in 1989. In 1990, the console was released as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, by
Ozisoft in Australasia, and by Tec Toy in Brazil. In South Korea it was distributed by Samsung and was first known
as the Super Gam*Boy and later as the Super Aladdin Boy.
Designed by an R&D team supervised by Masami Ishikawa, the Genesis hardware was adapted from Sega's System
16 arcade board, centered around a Motorola 68000 processor as a primary CPU and a Zilog Z80 as a secondary
processor. The system supports a library of over 900 games created both by Sega and a wide array of third-party
publishers and delivered on ROM-based cartridges. It can also play the complete library of Master System games
when the separately sold Power Base Converter is installed. The Genesis also benefited from numerous peripherals
and several network services, as well as multiple first-party and third-party variations of the console that focused on
extending its functionality.
In Japan, the Mega Drive did not fare well against its two main competitors, Nintendo's Super Famicom and NEC's
PC Engine. However, it achieved considerable success in North America and in Europe, capturing the majority of
the 16-bit market share in several territories including the United States and the United Kingdom. Contributing to its
success were its library of arcade game ports, the popularity of the Genesis-exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog series,
several popular sports game franchises, and aggressive youth marketing that positioned the system as the cool
console for adolescents. Though Sega dominated the market in North America and Europe for several years, the
release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System resulted in a fierce battle for market share in those territories
that has often been termed a "console war" by journalists and historians. As this contest drew increasing attention to
the video game industry among the general public, the Genesis and several of its highest-profile games attracted
significant legal scrutiny on matters involving reverse engineering and video game violence. Controversy
surrounding violent titles like Night Trap and Mortal Kombat led Sega to create the Videogame Rating Council, a
predecessor to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.
By the end of 1994, when a new generation of 32-bit consoles rendered the system technologically obsolete, the
Genesis had sold 29 million units worldwide, and by the end of its life Sega had sold an estimated 40 million units.
The console and its games continue to be popular among fans, collectors, video game music fans, and emulation
enthusiasts. Licensed third party re-releases of the console are still being produced, and several indie game
developers continue to produce games for it. Many games have also been re-released in compilations for newer
consoles and offered for download on various online services, such as Wii Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade,
PlayStation Network, and Steam.
History
See also: History of video games
The original Mega
Drive logo
In the early 1980s, Sega Enterprises, Inc., then a subsidiary of Gulf & Western, was one of
the top five arcade game manufacturers active in the United States, as company revenues
rose to $214 million. A downturn in the arcade business starting in 1982 seriously hurt the
company, leading Gulf & Western to sell its North American arcade manufacturing
organization and the licensing rights for its arcade games to Bally Manufacturing. The
company retained Sega's North American R&D operation, as well as its Japanese
subsidiary, Sega of Japan. With its arcade business in decline, Gulf & Western executives
turned to Sega of Japan's president, Hayao Nakayama, for advice on how to proceed. Nakayama advocated that the
company leverage its hardware expertise gained through years working in the arcade industry to move into the home
console market in Japan, which was in its infancy at the time. Nakayama received permission to proceed with this
project, leading to the release of Sega's first home video game system, the SG-1000, in July 1983. The SG-1000 was
not successful, and was replaced by the Sega Mark III within two years. In the meantime, Gulf & Western began to
Mega Drive
223
divest itself of its non-core businesses after the death of company founder Charles Bludhorn, so Nakayama and
former Sega CEO David Rosen arranged a management buyout of the Japanese subsidiary in 1984 with financial
backing from CSK Corporation, a prominent Japanese software company. Nakayama was then installed as CEO of
the new Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
In 1986, Sega redesigned the Mark III for release in North America as the Sega Master System. This was followed
by a European release the next year. Although the Master System was a success in Europe, and later also Brazil, it
failed to ignite significant interest in the Japanese or North American markets, which, by the mid-to-late 1980s, were
both dominated by Nintendo. With Sega continuing to have difficulty penetrating the home market, Sega's console
R&D team, led by Masami Ishikawa, began work on a successor to the Master System almost immediately after that
console launched. In 1987, Sega faced another threat to its console business when Japanese computer giant NEC
released the PC Engine amid great publicity. To remain competitive against the two more established consumer
electronics companies, Ishikawa and his team decided they needed to incorporate a 16-bit microprocessor into their
new system to make an impact in the marketplace and once again turned to Sega's strengths in the arcade industry to
adapt the successful Sega System 16 arcade board into a home console architecture. The decision to use a Motorola
68000 as the system's main CPU was made late in development, while a Zilog Z80 was used as a secondary CPU to
handle the sound due to fears that the load to the main CPU would be too great if it handled both the visuals and the
audio. First announced in June 1988 in Beep!, a Japanese gaming magazine, the developing console was referred to
as the "Mark V", but Sega management felt the need for a stronger name. After reviewing over 300 proposals, the
company settled on "Mega Drive". In North America, the name of the console was changed to "Genesis". The reason
for this change is not known, but it may have been due to a trademark dispute.
Launch
Sega released the Mega Drive in Japan on October 29, 1988, though the launch was overshadowed by Nintendo's
release of Super Mario Bros. 3 a week earlier. Positive coverage from magazines Famitsu and Beep! helped to
establish a following, but Sega only managed to ship 400,000 units in the first year. In order to increase sales, Sega
released various peripherals and games, including an online banking system and answering machine called the Sega
Mega Anser. Despite this, the Mega Drive was unable to overtake the venerable Famicom and remained a distant
third in Japan behind Nintendo's Super Famicom and NEC's PC Engine throughout the 16-bit era.
Sega announced a North American release date for the system on January 9, 1989. At the time, Sega did not possess
a North American sales and marketing organization and was distributing its Master System through Tonka.
Dissatisfied with Tonka's performance, Sega looked for a new partner to market the Genesis in North America and
offered the rights to Atari Corporation, which did not yet have a 16-bit system. David Rosen made the proposal to
Atari CEO Jack Tramiel and the president of Atari's Entertainment Electronics Division, Michael Katz. Tramiel
declined to acquire the new console, deeming it too expensive, and instead opted to focus on the Atari ST. Sega
decided to launch the console through its own Sega of America subsidiary, which executed a limited launch on
August 14, 1989, in New York City and Los Angeles. The Sega Genesis was released in the rest of North America
later that year.
The European version of the console was released on November 30, 1990. Building on the success of the Master
System, the Mega Drive became the most popular console in Europe. Since the Mega Drive was already two years
old at the time of its release in the region, more games were available at launch compared to the launches in other
regions. The ports of arcade titles like Altered Beast, Golden Axe and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, available in stores at launch,
provided a strong image of the console's power to deliver an arcade-like experience. The release of the Mega Drive
in Europe was handled by Virgin Mastertronic, which was later purchased by Sega in 1991 and became Sega of
Europe.
Other companies assisted in distributing the console to various countries worldwide. Ozisoft handled the Mega
Drive's launch and marketing in Australia, as it had done before with the Master System. In Brazil, the Mega Drive
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was released by Tec Toy in 1990, only a year after the Brazilian release of the Master System. Tec Toy also
produced games exclusively for the Brazilian market and began a network service for the system called Sega
Meganet in 1995. In India, Sega entered a distribution deal with Shaw Wallace in Spring 1995 in order to circumvent
an 80% import tariff, with each unit selling for INR18,000.
[1][2]
Samsung handled sales and distribution of the
console in Korea, where it was renamed the "Super Gam*Boy" and retained the Mega Drive logo alongside the
Samsung name. It was later renamed "Super Aladdin Boy".
North American sales and marketing
For the North American market, former Atari Corporation Entertainment Electronics Division president and new
Sega of America CEO Michael Katz instituted a two-part approach to build sales in the region. The first part
involved a marketing campaign to challenge Nintendo head-on and emphasize the more arcade-like experience
available on the Genesis, summarized by slogans including "Genesis does what Nintendon't". Since Nintendo owned
the console rights to most arcade games of the time, the second part involved creating a library of
instantly-recognizable titles which used the names and likenesses of celebrities and athletes such as Pat Riley
Basketball, Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf, James 'Buster' Douglas Knockout Boxing, Joe Montana Football,
Tommy Lasorda Baseball, Mario Lemieux Hockey, and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. Nonetheless, it had a hard
time overcoming Nintendo's ubiquitous presence in consumers' homes. Tasked by Nakayama to sell one million
units within the first year, Katz and Sega of America managed to sell only 500,000 units.
In mid-1990, Nakayama hired Tom Kalinske to replace Katz as CEO of Sega of America. Although Kalinske
initially knew little about the video game market, he surrounded himself with industry-savvy advisors. A believer in
the razor and blades business model, he developed a four-point plan: cut the price of the console, create a U.S.-based
team to develop games targeted at the American market, continue and expand the aggressive advertising campaigns,
and replace the bundled game Altered Beast with a new title, Sonic the Hedgehog. The Japanese board of directors
initially disapproved of the plan, but all four points were approved by Nakayama, who told Kalinske, "I hired you to
make the decisions for Europe and the Americas, so go ahead and do it." Magazines praised Sonic as one of the
greatest games yet made, and Sega's console finally took off as customers who had been waiting for the SNES
decided to purchase a Genesis instead. Nintendo's console debuted against an established competitor, while NEC's
TurboGrafx-16 failed to gain traction, and NEC soon pulled out of the market. In large part due to the popularity of
this game, the Sega Genesis outsold the Super Nintendo in the United States nearly two to one during the 1991
holiday season. This success led to Sega having control of 65% of the 16-bit console market in January 1992,
making it the first time Nintendo was not the console leader since December 1985.
To compete with Nintendo Sega was more open to new types of games than its rival, but still tightly controlled the
approval process for third-party games and charged high prices for cartridge manufacturing. Technicians from
American third-party video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) reverse engineered the Genesis in 1989, following
nearly one year of negotiations with Sega in which EA requested a more liberal licensing agreement than was
standard in the industry before releasing its games for the system. The clean room reverse engineering of the Genesis
was led by Steve Hayes and Jim Nitchals, lasting several months before EA secretly began development of Genesis
games. EA founder Trip Hawkins confronted Nakayama with this information one day prior to the 1990 Consumer
Electronics Show (CES), noting that EA had the ability to run its own licensing program if Sega refused to meet its
demands. Sega relented, and the next day EA's upcoming Genesis games were showcased at CES. EA signed what
Hawkins described as "a very unusual and much more enlightened license agreement" with Sega in June 1990:
"Among other things, we had the right to make as many titles as we wanted. We could approve our own titles... the
royalty rates were a lot more reasonable. We also had more direct control over manufacturing." After the deal was in
place, EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon learned that "we hadn't figured out all the workarounds" and "Sega still
had the ability to lock us out," noting "It just would have been a public relations fiasco." EA released its first two
Genesis games, Populous and Budokan: The Martial Spirit, within the month. The first Genesis version of EA's John
Madden Football arrived before the end of 1990, and became what Gordon called a "killer app" for the system.
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Taking advantage of the licensing agreement, Gordon and EA's vice president of marketing services Nancy Fong
created a visual identifier for EA's Genesis cartridges: A yellow stripe on their left side added during manufacturing.
Sega was able to outsell Nintendo four Christmas seasons in a row due to the Genesis' head start, a lower price point,
and a larger library of games when compared to the SNES at its release. Sega had ten games for every game on
Super NES, and while the Super NES had an exclusive version of Final Fight, one of Sega's internal development
teams created Streets of Rage, which had bigger levels, tougher enemies, and a well-regarded soundtrack. ASCII
Entertainment reported in spring 1993 that Genesis had 250 titles versus 75 for Super Nintendo, but limited shelf
space meant that stores typically offered 100 Genesis and 50 Super Nintendo titles. The NES was still the leader,
with 300 titles and 100 on shelves.
Sega's advertising positioned the Genesis as the cooler console, and as its advertising evolved, the company coined
the term "blast processing" (the origin of which is an obscure programming trick on the console's graphics hardware)
to suggest that the processing capabilities of the Genesis were far greater than those of the SNES. A Sony focus
group found that teenage boys would not admit to owning a Super NES rather than a Genesis. Even with the Genesis
often outselling the Super NES at a ratio of 2:1, Nintendo and Sega both focused heavily on impression management
of the market, even going to the point of deception, with Nintendo claiming they had sold more consoles in 1991
than they actually had, and forecasting they would sell 6 million consoles by the end of 1992, while their actual U.S.
install base at the end of 1992 was only just over 4 million units. Due to these tactics, it was difficult to ascertain a
clear leader in market share for several years at a time, with Nintendo's dollar share of the U.S. 16-bit market dipping
down from 60% at the end of 1992 to 37% at the end of 1993, Sega claiming 55% of all 16-bit hardware sales during
1994, and Donkey Kong Country helping the Super NES to outsell the Genesis from 1995 through 1997. According
to a 2004 study of NPD sales data, the Sega Genesis was able to maintain its lead over the Super NES in the
American 16-bit console market.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
While Sega was seeking a flagship series to compete with Nintendo's Mario series along with a character to serve as
a company mascot, several character designs were submitted by its Sega AM8 research and development
department. Many results came forth from their experiments with character design, including an armadillo (who later
developed into Mighty the Armadillo), a dog, a Theodore Roosevelt look-alike in pajamas (who would later be the
basis of Dr. Robotnik/Eggman's design), and a rabbit (who would use its extendible ears to collect objects, an aspect
later incorporated in Ristar). Eventually, Naoto shima's spiky teal hedgehog, initially codenamed "Mr.
Needlemouse", was chosen as the new mascot. The origins of Sonic can be traced farther back to a tech demo created
by Yuji Naka, who had developed an algorithm that allowed a sprite to move smoothly on a curve by determining its
position with a dot matrix. Naka's original prototype was a platform game that involved a fast-moving character
rolling in a ball through a long winding tube, and this concept was subsequently fleshed out with Oshima's character
design and levels conceived by designer Hirokazu Yasuhara.
Sonic's blue pigmentation was chosen to match Sega's cobalt blue logo, and his shoes were a concept evolved from a
design inspired by Michael Jackson's boots with the addition of the color red, which was inspired by both Santa
Claus and the contrast of those colors on Jackson's 1987 album Bad; his personality was based on Bill Clinton's "can
do" attitude. A group of fifteen people started working on the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, and renamed
themselves Sonic Team.
Although Katz and Sega of America's marketing experts disliked the idea of Sonic, certain that it would not catch on
with most American kids, Kalinske's strategy to place Sonic the Hedgehog as the pack-in title paid off. Featuring
speedy gameplay, Sonic the Hedgehog greatly increased the popularity of the Sega Genesis in North America.
Bundling Sonic the Hedgehog with the Sega Genesis is credited with helping Sega gain 65% of the market share
against Nintendo.
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Trademark Security System and Sega v. Accolade
Main article: Sega v. Accolade
After the release of the Sega Genesis in 1989, video game publisher Accolade began exploring options to release
some of their PC game titles onto the console. At the time, Sega had a licensing deal in place for third-party
developers that increased the costs to the developer. According to Accolade co-founder Alan Miller, "One pays them
between $10 and $15 per cartridge on top of the real hardware manufacturing costs, so it about doubles the cost of
goods to the independent publisher." To get around licensing, Accolade chose to seek an alternative way to bring
their games to the Genesis. They did so by purchasing one in order to decompile the executable code of three
Genesis games. Such information was used to program their new Genesis cartridges in a way that would allow them
to disable the security lockouts on the Genesis that prevented unlicensed games from being able to be played.
[3]
This
strategy was used successfully to bring Ishido: The Way of Stones to the Genesis in 1990. To do so, Accolade had
also copied Sega's copyrighted game code multiple times in order to reverse engineer the software of Sega's licensed
Genesis games.
An edition of the original model of Genesis,
known as the Genesis III, was the model at the
center of Sega v. Accolade for its incorporation of
the Trademark Security System (TMSS)
As a result of piracy from foreign countries and unlicensed
development issues, Sega incorporated a technical protection
mechanism into a new edition of the Genesis released in 1990, referred
to as the Genesis III. This new variation of the Genesis included a code
known as the Trademark Security System (TMSS), which, when a
game cartridge was inserted into the console, would check for the
presence of the string "SEGA" at a particular point in the memory
contained in the cartridge. If and only if the string was present, the
console would run the game, and would briefly display the message:
"Produced by or under license from Sega Enterprises, Ltd." This
system had a twofold effect: it added extra protection against
unlicensed developers and software piracy, and it forced the Sega trademark to display when the game was powered
up, making a lawsuit for trademark infringement possible if unlicensed software were to be developed. Accolade
learned of this development at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January 1991, where Sega showed the new
Genesis III and demonstrated it screening and rejecting an Ishido game cartridge. With more games planned for the
following year, Accolade successfully identified the TMSS file. They later added this file to the games HardBall!,
Star Control, Mike Ditka Power Football, and Turrican.
In response to the creation of these unlicensed games, Sega filed suit against Accolade in the United States District
Court for the Northern District of California, on charges of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and
copyright infringement. In response, Accolade filed a counterclaim for falsifying the source of its games by
displaying the Sega trademark when the game was powered up. Although the district court initially ruled for Sega
and issued an injunction preventing Accolade from continuing to reverse engineer the Genesis, Accolade appealed
the verdict to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
As a result of the appeal, the Ninth Circuit overturned the district court's verdict and ruled that Accolade's
decompilation of the Sega software constituted fair use. The court's written opinion followed on October 20, 1992,
and noted that the use of the software was non-exploitative, despite being commercial, and that the trademark
infringement, being required by the TMSS for a Genesis game to run on the system, was inadvertently triggered by a
fair use act and the fault of Sega for causing false labeling. Ultimately, Sega and Accolade settled the case on April
30, 1993. As a part of this settlement, Accolade became an official licensee of Sega, and later developed and released
Barkley Shut Up and Jam! while under license. The terms of the licensing, including whether or not any special
arrangements or discounts were made to Accolade, were not released to the public. The financial terms of the
settlement were also not disclosed, although both companies agreed to pay their own legal costs.
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Videogame Rating Council and Congressional hearings on video game violence
VRC MA-13 rating, as applied
to Mortal Kombat for the
Genesis
Main article: Videogame Rating Council
In 1993, American media began to focus on the mature content of some video
games, with games like Night Trap for the Sega CD, an add-on for the Genesis,
receiving unprecedented scrutiny. Issues about Night Trap were also brought up in
the United Kingdom, with former Sega of Europe development director Mike
Brogan noting that "Night Trap got Sega an awful lot of publicity... it was also cited
in UK Parliament for being classified as "15" due to its use of real actors. This came
at a time when Sega was capitalizing on its image as an edgy company with attitude,
and this only served to reinforce that image." The most controversial title of the year
by far was Midway's Mortal Kombat, ported to the Genesis and SNES by Acclaim.
In response to public outcry over the game's graphic violence, Nintendo decided to
replace the blood in the game with "sweat" and the arcade's gruesome "fatalities"
with less violent finishing moves. Sega took a different approach, instituting
America's first video game ratings system, the Videogame Rating Council (VRC), for all of its current systems.
Ratings ranged from the family friendly GA rating to the more mature rating of MA-13, and the adults-only rating of
MA-17. With the rating system in place, Sega released its version of Mortal Kombat, appearing to have removed all
of the blood and sweat effects and toning down the finishing moves even more than in the SNES version. However,
all of the arcade's blood and uncensored finishing moves could be enabled by entering a "Blood Code". This
technicality allowed Sega to release the game with a relatively low MA-13 rating. Meanwhile, the tamer SNES
version shipped without a rating at all.
Despite the ratings system, or perhaps because of it, the Genesis version of Mortal Kombat was well received by
gaming press, as well as fans, outselling the SNES version three or four-to-one, while Nintendo was criticized for
censoring the SNES version of the game. Executive vice president of Nintendo of America Howard Lincoln was
quick to point out at the hearings that Night Trap had no such rating, saying to Senator Joseph Lieberman:
Furthermore, I can't let you sit here and buy this nonsense that this Sega Night Trap game was somehow only meant for adults. The fact of the
matter is this is a copy of the packaging. There was no rating on this game at all when the game was introduced. Small children bought this at
Toys "R" Us, and he knows that as well as I do. When they started getting heat about this game, then they adopted the rating system and put
ratings on it.
In response, Sega of America vice president Bill White showed a videotape of violent video games on the SNES and
stressed the importance of rating video games. At the end of the hearing, Lieberman called for another hearing in
February 1994 to check on progress toward a rating system for video game violence.
As a result of the Congressional hearings, Night Trap started to generate more sales and released ports to the PC,
Sega 32X, and 3DO. According to Digital Pictures founder Tom Zito, "You know, I sold 50,000 units of Night Trap
a week after those hearings." Despite the increased sales, Sega decided to recall Night Trap and rerelease it with
revisions in 1994, due to the Congressional hearings. After the close of these hearings, video game manufacturers
came together to establish the rating system that Lieberman had called for. Initially, Sega proposed the universal
adoption of its own system, but after objections by Nintendo and others, Sega took a role in forming a new system.
This became the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, an independent organization that received praise from
Lieberman. With this new rating system in place, Nintendo decided its censorship policies were no longer needed,
and the SNES port of Mortal Kombat II was released uncensored.
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32-bit era and beyond
In order to extend the life of the Genesis, Sega released two add-ons to increase the capabilities of the system: a
CD-based peripheral known as the Sega CD (Mega-CD outside North America), as well as a 32-bit peripheral
known as the Sega 32X. By the end of 1994, the Genesis had sold 29 million units worldwide, including 14 million
in the United States, 3.5 million in Japan, 2.1 million in the United Kingdom, and 800,000 in Germany. Its add-ons
were less successful, with the Sega CD selling 2.7 million units worldwide by this time, and the 32X selling 665,000
units.
Despite the launch of the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn, sales of 16-bit hardware/software continued to
account for 64% of the video game market in 1995. However, Sega underestimated the continued popularity of the
Genesis, and did not have the inventory to meet demand for the product. Sega was able to capture 43 percent of the
dollar share of the U.S. video game market and sell more than 2 million Genesis units in 1995, while Genesis
software such as Vectorman remained highly successful, but Kalinske estimated that "we could have sold another
300,000 Genesis systems in the November/December timeframe." Nakayama's decision to focus on the Saturn over
the Genesis, based on the systems' relative performance in Japan, has been cited as the major contributing factor in
this miscalculation. Following tensions with Sega of Japan over its focus on the Saturn, Kalinske, who oversaw the
rise of the Genesis in 1991, grew uninterested in the business and resigned in mid-1996.
By contrast, Nintendo concentrated on the 16-bit home console market, as well as its successful handheld, the Game
Boy, and as a result Nintendo took in 42 percent of the video game market dollar share, despite not launching a
32-bit console to compete directly with the PlayStation or the Saturn. The 1995 release of a Genesis-based handheld,
the Sega Nomad, also suffered from a poorly timed launch near the release of Pokmon, a Game Boy game that
would become very popular.
Sega continued to sell the Genesis worldwide through 1997, selling 20 million units in the United States through that
time. In 1998, Sega licensed the Genesis to Majesco in North America so that it could rerelease the console. Majesco
began re-selling millions of formerly unsold cartridges at a budget price, together with 150,000 units of the second
model of the Genesis. It later released the Sega Genesis 3, projecting to sell 1.5 million units of the console by the
end of 1998. Final sales estimates for the Genesis stand at approximately 40 million units sold; of these,
approximately 3.58 million were sold in Japan, 8 million in Europe, and 3 million in Brazil. While the system sold 9
million less units than the SNES overall, this gap was less than the 47 million unit gap that separated the sales of
Sega's Master System and Nintendo's NES in the 8-bit era.
European Mega Drive mainboard
The main microprocessor of the Genesis is a 16/32-bit Motorola 68000
CPU. The console also includes a Zilog Z80 sub-processor, which
controls the sound hardware and provides backwards compatibility
with the Master System. The system contains 72kB of RAM, as well as
64 kB of video RAM, and can display up to 64 colors at once from a
palette of 512. The system's games are in ROM cartridge format and
are inserted in the top.
The system produces sound by way of an FM synthesizer and a Texas
Instruments SN76489 programmable sound generator, the latter of
which is integrated with the VDP. The Z80 processor directly controls
both sound chips, producing stereo music and sound effects, both
synthesized and digitized. Most revisions of the original system contain a Yamaha YM2612 FM synthesis chip and a
separate YM7101 VDP; these two chips were later integrated into a single custom chip for later versions of the
console distributed worldwide.
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The back of the model 1 console provides a radio frequency output port (designed for use with antenna and cable
systems) and a specialized 8-pin DIN port, both of which provide video and audio output. Both of these outputs
produce monophonic sound, while a headphone jack on the front of the console produces stereo sound. On the model
2, the DIN port, radio frequency output port, and headphone jack are replaced by a 9-pin mini-DIN port on the back
for composite video, RGB and stereo sound, as well as the standard RF switch. Earlier model 1 consoles also have a
9-pin extension port, though this was removed in later production runs and is absent entirely in the model 2. An edge
connector on the bottom-right of the console allows it to be connected to a peripheral.
Peripherals
Sega Genesis six-button controller
The standard Genesis controller features a rounded shape, a directional
pad, three main buttons, and a "start" button. Sega later released a
six-button version in 1993; this pad is slightly smaller and features
three additional face buttons, similar to the design of buttons on some
popular arcade fighting games such as Street Fighter II. In addition,
Sega also released a wireless revision of the six-button controller, the
Remote Arcade Pad.
The Genesis is also backwards compatible with the Master System.
The first peripheral released for the system, the Power Base Converter,
allows Master System games to be played on the console. A second
model, the Master System Converter 2, was released only in Europe for use with the Mega Drive II.
A number of other peripherals for the console were released to add extra functionality. The Menacer is a wireless,
infrared light gun peripheral used with compatible games. Other third parties also created light gun peripherals for
the Genesis, such as the American Laser Games Pistol and the Konami Justifier. Released for art creation software,
the Sega Mega Mouse features three buttons and is only compatible with a few games, such as Eye of the Beholder.
A foam-covered bat called the BatterUP and the TeeVGolf golf club were released for both the Genesis and SNES.
Sega Power Base Converter on a model 1 Genesis
In 1993, Sega released the Sega Activator, an octagonal device that lies
flat on the floor and translates the player's physical movements into
game inputs. Several high-profile games, including Mortal Kombat and
Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition, were adapted to support
the peripheral. The device was a commercial failure, due mainly to its
inaccuracy and its high price point. IGN editor Craig Harris ranked the
Sega Activator the third worst video game controller ever made.
Both EA and Sega released multitaps for the system to allow more than
the standard two players to play at once. Initially, EA's version, the 4
Way Play, and Sega's adapter, the Team Player, only supported each publisher's own titles. Later games were created
to work on both adapters. Codemasters also developed the J-Cart system, providing two extra ports with no extra
hardware, although the technology came late in the console's life and is only featured on a few games.
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Network services
Sega Mega Modem peripheral, which allowed
access to the Sega Meganet service
In its first foray into online gaming, Sega created Sega Meganet, which
debuted in Japan on November 3, 1990. Operating through a cartridge
and a peripheral called the "Mega Modem", this system allowed Mega
Drive players to play seventeen games online. A North American
version of this system, dubbed "Tele-Genesis", was announced but
never released. Another phone-based system, the Mega Anser, turned
the Japanese Mega Drive into an online banking terminal.
Then, in 1994, Sega started the Sega Channel, a game distribution
system utilizing cable television services Time Warner Cable and TCI. Using a special peripheral, Genesis players
could download a title from a library of fifty each month, as well as demos for upcoming games. Games were
downloaded to the console's internal memory and were deleted when the console was powered off. The Sega
Channel reached 250,000 subscribers at its peak and ran until July 31, 1998, well past the release of the Sega Saturn.
In an effort to compete with Sega, third-party developer Catapult Entertainment created the XBAND, a peripheral
which allowed Genesis players to engage in online competitive gaming. Utilizing telephone services to share data,
XBAND was initially offered in five U.S. cities in November 1994. The following year, the service was extended to
the SNES, and Catapult teamed up with Blockbuster Video to market the service, but as interest in the service
waned, XBAND was discontinued in April 1997.
Game library
See also: List of Sega Genesis games
The Genesis library was initially modest, but eventually grew to contain games to appeal to all types of players. The
initial pack-in title was Altered Beast, which was later replaced with Sonic the Hedgehog. Top sellers included Sonic
the Hedgehog, its sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Disney's Aladdin. During development for the console, Sega of
Japan focused on developing action games while Sega of America was tasked with developing sports games. A large
part of the appeal of the Genesis library during the console's lifetime was the arcade-based experience of its games,
as well as more difficult entries such as Ecco the Dolphin, and sports games such as Joe Montana Football.
Compared to its competition, Sega advertised to an older audience by hosting more mature games, including the
uncensored version of Mortal Kombat.
Sega Virtua Processor
In order to produce more visually appealing graphics, companies began adding special processing chips to their
game cartridges to effectively increase the console's capabilities. On the SNES, these include DSP chips and RISC
processors, which allow the console to produce faster and more accurate pseudo-3D graphics. In particular, the Super
FX chip was designed to offload complex rendering tasks from the main CPU, enabling it to produce visual effects
that the console cannot produce on its own. The chip was first used in Star Fox, which rendered 3D polygons in real
time, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island demonstrated the chip's ability to rotate, scale, and stretch individual
sprites and manipulate large areas of the screen.
As these enhancements became more commonplace on the SNES, the stock of existing Genesis games began to look
outdated in comparison. Sega quickly began work on an enhancement chip to compete with the Super FX, resulting
in the Sega Virtua Processor. This chip enables the Genesis to render polygons in real time and provides an "Axis
Transformation" unit that handles scaling and rotation. Virtua Racing, the only game released with this chip, runs at
a significantly higher and more stable frame rate than similar games on the SNES. The chip was expensive to
produce, and increased the cost of the games that used it. At US$100, Virtua Racing was the most expensive Genesis
cartridge ever produced. Two other games, Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA, were planned for the SVP chip, but
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were instead moved into the Saturn's launch line-up.
Add-ons
Genesis model 2 with the Sega CD and 32X
add-ons attached
In addition to accessories such as the Power Base Converter, the Sega
Genesis also supports two add-ons that each support their own game
libraries. The first is the Sega CD (known as the Mega-CD in all
regions except for North America), a compact disc-based peripheral
that can play its own library of games in CD-ROM format. The second
is the Sega 32X, a 32-bit peripheral which utilizes ROM cartridges as a
format and serves as a pass-through for Genesis games. Both add-ons
were officially discontinued in 1996.
Sega CD
Main articles: Sega CD and List of Sega CD games
By 1991, compact discs had gained in popularity as a data storage device for music and software. PCs and video
game companies had started to make use of this technology. NEC had been the first to include CD technology in a
game console with the release of the TurboGrafx-CD add-on, and Nintendo was making plans to develop its own CD
peripheral as well. Seeing the opportunity to gain an advantage over its rivals, Sega partnered with JVC to quickly
develop a CD-ROM add-on for the Genesis. Sega launched the Mega-CD in Japan on December 1, 1991, initially
retailing at JP49,800. The CD add-on was launched in North America on October 15, 1992, as the Sega CD, with a
retail price of US$299; it was released in Europe as the Mega-CD in 1993.
In addition to greatly expanding the potential size of its games, this add-on unit also upgraded the graphics and
sound capabilities of the console by adding a second, more powerful processor, more system memory, and
hardware-based sprite rotation and scaling capabilities that made the console graphically competitive with the SNES.
It also provided battery-backed storage RAM to allow games to save high scores, configuration data, and game
progress; an additional data storage cartridge was sold separately.
Shortly after its launch in North America, Sega began shipping the Sega CD with the pack-in game Sewer Shark, a
full motion video (FMV) game developed by Digital Pictures, a company that became an important partner for Sega.
Touting the benefits of the CD's comparatively vast storage space, Sega and its third-party developers produced a
number of games for the add-on that include digital video in their gameplay or as bonus content, as well as
rereleasing several cartridge-based games with high-fidelity audio tracks. In 1993, Sega released the Sega CD 2, a
smaller and lighter version of the add-on designed for the Genesis II, at a reduced price compared to the original. A
limited number of games were also later developed that utilize both the Sega CD and the Sega 32X add-ons.
The Mega-CD sold only 100,000 units during its first year in Japan, falling well below expectations. While many
consumers blamed the add-on's high launch price, it also suffered from a tiny software library, with only two titles
being available at launch. This was due in part to the long delay before Sega made its software development kit
available to third-party developers. Sales of the add-on were more successful in North America and Europe, though
the novelty of FMV and CD-enhanced games quickly wore off as many of the system's later games were met with
lukewarm or negative reviews. Finally, in 1995, Sega announced a shift in focus to its new console, the Saturn, and
discontinued all advertising for Genesis hardware, including the Sega CD. The add-on sold 2.7 million units by the
end of 1994 and was officially discontinued in 1996.
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Sega 32X
Main articles: Sega 32X and List of Sega 32X games
With the release of the Sega Saturn slated for 1995, Sega began to develop a stop-gap solution that would bridge the
gap between the Genesis and the Saturn, and would serve as a less expensive entry into the 32-bit era.
At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January 1994, Sega of America research and development head Joe
Miller took a phone call from Nakayama, in which Nakayama stressed the importance of coming up with a quick
response to the Atari Jaguar. One potential idea for this came from a concept from Sega of Japan, later known as
"Project Jupiter", an entirely new independent console. Project Jupiter was initially slated to be a new version of the
Genesis, with an upgraded color palette and a lower cost than the upcoming Saturn, as well as with some limited 3D
capabilities thanks to integration of ideas from the development of the Sega Virtua Processor chip. Miller suggested
an alternative strategy, citing concerns with releasing a new console with no previous design specifications within
six to nine months. At the suggestion from Miller and his team, Sega designed the 32X as a peripheral for the
existing Genesis, expanding its power with two 32-bit SuperH-2 processors. The SH-2 had been developed in 1993
as a joint venture between Sega and Japanese electronics company Hitachi. At the end of the Consumer Electronics
show, with the basic design of the 32X in place, Sega of Japan invited Sega of America to assist in development of
the new add-on.
Although the new unit was a stronger console than originally proposed, it was not compatible with Saturn games.
Before the 32X could be launched, the release date of the Saturn was announced for November 1994 in Japan,
coinciding with the 32X's target launch date in North America. Sega of America now was faced with trying to
market the 32X with the Saturn's Japan release occurring simultaneously. Their answer was to call the 32X a
"transitional device" between the Genesis and the Saturn. This was justified by Sega's statement that both platforms
would run at the same time, and that the 32X would be aimed at players who could not afford the more expensive
Saturn.
The 32X was released in November 1994, in time for the holiday season. Demand among retailers was high, and
Sega could not keep up orders for the system. Over 1,000,000 orders had been placed for 32X units, but Sega had
only managed to ship 600,000 units by January 1995. Launching at about the same price as a Genesis console, the
price of the 32X was less than half of what the Saturn's price would be at launch. Despite the lower priced console's
positioning as an inexpensive entry into 32-bit gaming, Sega had a difficult time convincing third-party developers to
create games for the new system. After an early run on the peripheral, news soon spread to the public of the
upcoming release of the Sega Saturn, which would not support the 32X's games. The Saturn was released early on
May 11, 1995, four months earlier than its originally intended release date of September 2, 1995. The Saturn, in turn,
caused developers to further shy away from the console and created doubt about the library for the 32X, despite
assurances from Sega that there would be a large number of games developed for the system. In early 1996, Sega
finally conceded that they had promised too much out of the 32X and decided to stop producing the system in order
to focus on the Saturn. Prices for the 32X dropped to $99, then were ultimately cleared out of stores at $19.95.
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Variations
Over a dozen licensed variations of the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive have been released. In addition to models
made by Sega, several alternate models were made by other companies, such as Majesco, AtGames, JVC, Pioneer
Corporation, Amstrad, and Aiwa. A number of bootleg clones were also created during its lifespan.
First-party models
Sega Genesis II Sega Multi-Mega
Sega Nomad Sega TeraDrive
In 1993, Sega introduced a smaller, lighter version of the console, naming it the Genesis II in North America and the
Mega Drive II everywhere else. This version omits the headphone jack in the front, replaces the A/V-Out connector
with a smaller version that supports stereo sound, and provides a simpler, less expensive mainboard that requires less
power.
Sega also released a combined, semi-portable Genesis/Sega CD unit called the Sega Genesis CDX (Sega
Multi-Mega in Japan and Europe). This unit retailed at a lower price than the individual Genesis and Sega CD units
put together, but is incompatible with some games and cannot work with the Sega 32X due to overheating and
electrical shock issues. The CDX features a small LCD screen that, when the unit is used to play audio CDs, displays
the current track being played.
Late in the 16-bit era, Sega released a handheld version of the console called the Sega Nomad. Its design was based
on the Mega Jet, a Mega Drive portable unit featured on airplane flights in Japan. As the only successor to the Game
Gear, the Nomad operates on 6 AA batteries, displaying its graphics on a 3.25-inch (8.25-mm) LCD screen. The
Nomad supports the entire Genesis library, but cannot be used with the Sega 32X, the Sega CD, or the Power Base
Converter.
Exclusive to the Japanese market was the TeraDrive, a Mega Drive combined with a computer. Sega also produced
three arcade system boards based on the Mega Drive: the System C-2, the MegaTech, and the MegaPlay, which
support approximately 80 games combined.
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234
Third-party models
JVC Wondermega JVC Wondermega 2 Amstrad Mega PC
Sega Genesis 3 Firecore Pioneer LaserActive
Working with Sega of Japan, JVC released the Wondermega on April 1, 1992, in Japan. The system was later
redesigned by JVC and released as the X'Eye in North America in September 1994. Designed by JVC to be a
Genesis and Sega CD combination with high quality audio, the Wondermega's high price kept it out of the hands of
average consumers. The same was true of the Pioneer LaserActive, which requires an add-on known as the Mega-LD
pack, developed by Sega, in order to play Genesis and Sega CD games. Though the LaserActive was lined up to
compete with the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, the combined price of the system and the Mega-LD pack made it a
prohibitively expensive option for Sega players. Aiwa also released the CSD-GM1, a combination Genesis/Sega CD
unit built into a boombox. Several companies added the Mega Drive to personal computers, mimicking the design of
Sega's TeraDrive; these include the MSX models AX-330 and AX-990, distributed in Kuwait and Yemen, and the
Amstrad Mega PC, distributed in Europe and Australia.
After the Genesis was discontinued, Majesco Entertainment released the Genesis 3 as a budget version of the console
in 1998. In 2009, AtGames began producing two new variations: the Firecore, which can play original Genesis
cartridges as well as preloaded games, and a handheld console preloaded with 20 Genesis games. Numerous
companies, including Radica Games, have also released various compilations of Genesis and Mega Drive games in
"plug-and-play" packages resembling the system's controller.
Legacy and revival
The Sega Genesis, or Mega Drive, has often been considered among the best video game consoles ever produced. In
2009, IGN named the Sega Genesis the fifth best video game console, citing its edge in sports games and better
home version of Mortal Kombat, and lauding "what some consider to be the greatest controller ever created: the six
button". In 2007, GameTrailers named the Sega Genesis as the sixth best console of all time in their list of top ten
consoles that "left their mark on the history of gaming", noting its great games and solid controller, and writing of
the "glory days" of Sonic the Hedgehog. In January 2008, technology columnist Don Reisinger proclaimed that the
Sega Genesis "created the industry's best console war to date", citing Sonic the Hedgehog, superior sports games,
and backwards compatibility with the Sega Master System. GamingExcellence also gave the Sega Genesis sixth
place in 2008, declaring "one can truly see the Genesis for the gaming milestone it was". At the same time,
GameDaily rated it ninth of ten for its memorable games. Of the console, Retro Gamer stated, "It was a system
where the allure was born not only of the hardware and games, but the magazines, playground arguments, climate,
and politics of the time."
Mega Drive
235
Rereleases and emulation
A number of Genesis and Mega Drive emulators have been produced, including GenEM, KGen, Genecyst, VGen,
St0rm, and Gens. The GameTap subscription gaming service included a Sega Genesis emulator and had several
dozen licensed Genesis games in its catalog. The Console Classix subscription gaming service also includes an
emulator and has several hundred Sega Genesis games in its catalog. In addition to emulation, a number of Sega
Genesis games have been released on compilation discs for other video game consoles. These include Sonic Mega
Collection and Sonic Gems Collection for PS2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube; Sega Genesis Collection for PS2
and PSP, and most recently Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
in PAL territories) for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
During his keynote speech at the 2006 Game Developers Conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced
that Sega was going to make a number of Genesis/Mega Drive titles available to download on the Wii's Virtual
Console. These games are now available along with other systems' titles under the Wii's Virtual Console. There are
also select Sega Genesis titles available on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Arcade, such as Sonic the Hedgehog
and Sonic 2, as well as games available via the PlayStation Network and Steam.
Later new releases
On May 22, 2006, North American company Super Fighter Team released Beggar Prince, a game translated from a
1996 Chinese original. It was released worldwide and was the first commercial Genesis game release in North
America since 1998. Super Fighter Team would later go on to release two more games for the system, Legend of
Wukong and Star Odyssey. In December 2010, WaterMelon, an American company, released Pier Solar and the
Great Architects, the first commercial role-playing video game specifically developed for the console since 1996,
and also the biggest 16-bit game ever produced at 64Mb. Pier Solar is also the only cartridge-based game which can
optionally use the Sega CD to play a special enhanced soundtrack and sound effects disc. In 2013, independent
programmer Future Driver, inspired by the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, developed Fix-It Felix Jr. for the Genesis.
In Brazil the Mega Drive never ceased production, though Tec Toy's current models emulate the original hardware.
On December 5, 2007, Tec Toy released a portable version of Mega Drive with twenty built-in games. Another
version of the console called "Mega Drive Guitar Idol" comes with two six-button joypads and a guitar controller
with five fret buttons. The Guitar Idol game contains a mix of Brazilian and international songs. The console has 87
built-in games, including some new ones from Electronic Arts: FIFA 2008, Need for Speed Pro Street, The Sims 2,
and Sim City.
In 2009, Chinese company AtGames produced a new Sega Genesis/Mega Drive-compatible console, the Firecore. It
features a top-loading cartridge slot and includes two controllers similar to the six-button controller for the original
Genesis. The console has 15 games built-in, and is region-free, allowing cartridge games to run regardless of their
region of origin. AtGames also produces a handheld version of the console. Both machines have been released in
Europe by distributing company Blaze Europe.
References
[1] Zachariah, Reeba. " Game for success (http:/ / articles.timesofindia. indiatimes. com/ 2011-08-19/ india-business/
29905012_1_video-gaming-sega-playstation)." The Times of India. 19 August 2011. Retrieved on 2 November 2011. "At that point Sega was
being distributed by Shaw Wallace Electronics , owned by the late liquor baron Manu Chhabria. The products were being sold at Rs 18,000."
[2] " Screen digest (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=jFnvAAAAMAAJ& q="Shaw+ Wallace"+ Sega& dq="Shaw+ Wallace"+ Sega&
hl=en& ei=Nn-xTvG8OcKatwejs6GqAg& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=book-thumbnail& resnum=2& ved=0CDsQ6wEwAQ)." Screen Digest
Ltd., 1995. Retrieved from Google Books on 2 November 2011. "Sega tackles Indian market with local maker From spring 1995, Sega will
start manufacturing video games consoles in India with local partner Shaw Wallace. Move will circumvent 80 per cent import tariff on games
units which currently..."
[3] [3] , 977 F.2d 1510 (9th Cir. 1992)
Mega Drive
236
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sega Mega Drive.
Mega Drive (https:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070109051930/ http:/ / sega. jp/ archive/ segahard/ md/ ) at the
Wayback Machine (archived January 9, 2007) at Sega Archives (official website by Sega of Japan (http:/ / sega.
jp/ )) (in Japanese)
Mega-CD
237
Mega-CD
Sega CD
Sega CD (on right) attached to a Sega Genesis
Manufacturer Sega
Type Video game console add-on
Retail availability
JP
December 12, 1991
NA
October 15, 1992
EU
1993
US$299
GB270
Discontinued 1996
Units sold 2.7 million as of the end of 1994
Media CD-ROM, CD+G
CPU MC68000 @ 12.5MHz
Storage Internal RAM
Related articles Sega 32X
The Sega CD, released as the Mega-CD ( CD Mega-Sh DHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) in most
regions outside North America, is an add-on CD-ROM device for the Sega Genesis video game console designed
and produced by Sega as part of the fourth generation of video game consoles. The add-on was released on
December 12, 1991 in Japan, October 15, 1992 in North America, and 1993 in Europe. The Sega CD lets the user
play CD-based games and adds extra hardware functionality, such as a faster central processing unit and graphic
enhancements. It can also play audio CDs and CD+G discs.
Seeking to create an add-on device for the Genesis, Sega developed the unit to read compact discs as its storage
medium. The main benefit of CD technology was greater storage capacity, which allowed for games to be nearly 320
times larger than their Genesis cartridge counterparts. This benefit manifested in the form of full motion video
(FMV) games like the controversial Night Trap, which became a focus of the 1993 Congressional hearings on issues
of video game violence and ratings. Sega of Japan partnered with JVC to design the add-on and refused to consult
with Sega of America until the project was completed. Sega of America assembled parts from various "dummy"
units to obtain a working prototype. While the add-on became known for several well-received games such as Sonic
the Hedgehog CD and Lunar: Eternal Blue, its game library contained a large number of Genesis ports and FMV
titles. The Sega CD was redesigned a number of times, including once by Sega and several times by licensed
third-party developers.
Mega-CD
238
By the end of 1994, the add-on had sold approximately 2.7 million units worldwide, compared to 29 million units for
the Genesis sold by that time. In 1995, Sega began shifting its focus towards its new console, the Sega Saturn, over
the Genesis and Sega CD. The Sega CD was officially discontinued in 1996. Retrospective reception to the add-on is
mixed, praising the Sega CD for its individual offerings and additions to the Genesis' functions, but offering criticism
to the game library for its depth issues, high price of the unit, and how the add-on was supported by Sega.
History
Background
Sega entered the 16-bit era of video game consoles with the Sega Genesis. It was first released in Japan in 1988 as
the Mega Drive and later released in North America in 1989 (as the Sega Genesis) and in Europe and other regions
in 1990 (as the Mega Drive). In mid-1990, Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama hired Tom Kalinske as CEO of Sega of
America. Kalinske developed a four-point plan for sales of the Genesis: cut the console's price, develop games for
the American market with a new American team, continue aggressive advertising campaigns, and ship Sonic the
Hedgehog with the Genesis as a pack-in game. The Japanese board of directors initially disapproved of the plan, but
all four points were approved by Nakayama, who told Kalinske, "I hired you to make the decisions for Europe and
the Americas, so go ahead and do it." Magazines praised Sonic as one of the greatest games yet made, and Sega's
console finally took off as customers who had been waiting for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
decided to purchase a Genesis instead.
Development
By the early 1990s, compact discs were making significant headway as a storage medium for music and video
games. NEC had been the first to use compact disc technology in a video game console with their PC Engine CD
add-on in October 1988 in Japan, which sold 80,000 units in six months. That same year, Nintendo announced a
partnership with Sony to develop its own CD-ROM peripheral for the SNES. Commodore International released
their CD-based CDTV multimedia system centered in early 1991, while long-in-waiting CD-i from Philips finally
arrived towards the end of that year.
Shortly after the release of the Genesis, Sega's Consumer Products Research and Development Labs led by manager
Tomio Takami were tasked with creating a CD-ROM add-on for the system, which became the Sega CD. The Sega
CD was originally intended to equal the capabilities of the PC Engine CD, but with twice as much random-access
memory (RAM), and sell for about JP20,000 (or US$150). In addition to relatively short loading times, Takami's
team planned for the device to feature hardware scaling and rotation similar to that found in Sega's arcade games,
which required the use of a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP). However, two changes made later in
development contributed to the final unit's higher than expected price. Because the Genesis' Motorola 68000 CPU
was too slow to handle the Sega CD's new graphical capabilities, an additional 68000 CPU was incorporated into the
add-on. In addition, upon hearing rumors that NEC planned a memory upgrade to the PC Engine CD, which would
bring its available RAM from 0.5 Mbit to between 2 and 4 Mbit, Sega decided to increase the Sega CD's available
RAM from 1 Mbit to 6 Mbit. This proved to be one of the greatest technical challenges during development since the
Genesis' access speed was initially too slow to run programs effectively. The cost of the device was now estimated at
$370, but market research convinced Sega executives that consumers would be willing to pay more for a
state-of-the-art machine. Sega partnered with JVC, which had been working with Warner New Media to develop a
CD player under the CD+G standard, to develop the Sega CD.
Up until the middle of 1991, Sega of America had been kept uninformed of the details of the project, without a
functioning unit to test. According to former Sega of America executive producer Michael Latham, "When you work
at a multinational company, there are things that go well and there are things that don't. They didn't want to send us
working Sega CD units. They wanted to send us dummies and not send us the working CD units until the last minute
Mega-CD
239
because they were concerned about what we would do with it and if it would leak out. It was very frustrating."
Despite not being provided a functioning unit, Latham and Sega of America vice president of licensing Shinobu
Toyoda put together a functioning Sega CD by acquiring a ROM for the system and installing it in a dummy unit.
Also proving frustrating to Sega of America executives was the construction of the add-on. "The Mega-CD was
designed with a cheap, consumer-grade audio CD drive, not a CD-ROM," stated Scot Bayless, former Sega of
America senior producer. "Quite late in the run-up to launch, the quality assurance teams started running into severe
problems with many of the unitsand when I say severe, I mean units literally bursting into flames. We worked
around the clock, trying to catch the failure in-progress, and after about a week we finally realized what was
happening," citing the need of game titles to utilize more time seeking data than the CD drive was designed to
provide.
Launch
Sega announced the release of the Mega-CD in Japan for late 1991, and North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992. It
was unveiled to the public for the first time at the 1991 Tokyo Toy Show, to positive reception from critics. The
Mega-CD would go on to be released in Japan on December 12, 1991, initially retailing at JP49,800. Though the
unit sold quickly, the small install base of the Mega Drive in Japan meant that sales declined rapidly after launch.
Within its first year in Japan, the Mega-CD only sold 100,000 units. Third-party development of games for the new
system suffered because Sega took a long amount of time to release software development kits. Other factors
impacting sales included the high launch price of the Mega-CD in Japan and only two titles being available at
launch.
On October 15, 1992, the Sega CD was released in North America, with a retail price of US$299. Advertising for the
add-on included one of Sega's slogans, "Welcome to the Next Level". Though only 50,000 units were available at
launch due to production issues, the add-on sold over 200,000 units by the end of 1992. As part of Sega's sales,
Blockbuster LLC purchased Sega CD units for rental in their stores. The Mega-CD was launched in Europe in the
spring of 1993, at a price of GB270. Only 70,000 units were initially available in the United Kingdom, but 60,000
units were sold by August 1993. Packed in with the Sega CD at its initial launch was the game Sewer Shark, a full
motion video (FMV) game developed by Digital Pictures. Emphasized by Sega of America, the benefits of the Sega
CD's additional storage space allowed for a large amount of FMV games to be published for the add-on, with Digital
Pictures becoming an important partner for Sega. Despite the initial competition by both Sega and Nintendo to
develop a CD-based add-on, Nintendo did not release a competing peripheral after examining the possibility of
partnering with both Sony and Philips to develop one.
PAL Mega-CD 2 without a Mega-Drive attached
Sega would go on to release the add-on's second model, the Sega CD 2
(Mega-CD 2), on April 23, 1993 in Japan at a price of JP29,800, and
at a retail price of US$229 in North America. Designed to bring down
the manufacturing costs of the Sega CD, the newer model is smaller
and does not contain the motorized disc tray used in the initial model.
A limited number of games were also later developed that utilized both
the Sega CD and the Sega 32X add-ons, the latter of which was
released in November 1994.
Night Trap controversy
See also: Sega Genesis Videogame Rating Council and
Congressional hearings on video game violence
On December 9, 1993, the United States Congress began to hold hearings on video game violence and the marketing
of violent video games to children. One of the games at the center of this controversy was the Sega CD's Night Trap,
a full-motion video adventure game by Digital Pictures. Night Trap had been brought to the attention of United
Mega-CD
240
States Senator Joe Lieberman, who said of the game, "I looked at that game, too, and there was a classic. It ends with
this attack scene on this woman in lingerie, in her bathroom. I know that the creator of the game said it was all meant
to be a satire of Dracula; but nonetheless, I thought it sent out the wrong message." Lieberman's research later went
on to conclude that the average video game player at the time was between seven and twelve years old, and that
video game publishers were marketing violence to children. Similar issues were brought up in the United Kingdom,
with former Sega of Europe development director Mike Brogan noting that "Night Trap got Sega an awful lot of
publicity.... Questions were even raised in the UK Parliament about its suitability. This came at a time when Sega
was capitalizing on its image as an edgy company with attitude, and this only served to reinforce that image."
Despite increased sales as a result of the hearings, Sega decided to recall Night Trap and re-release it with revisions
in 1994. After the close of these hearings, video game manufacturers came together in 1994 to establish the rating
system called for by Lieberman, eventually materializing in the form of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.
Decline
As time passed, the releases of new CD-based consoles such as the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and the Philips CD-i
rendered the Sega CD technically obsolete, reducing public interest in the add-on. 2.7 million Sega CD units were
sold by the end of 1994, compared to the 29 million Sega Genesis units sold by the same time. In early 1995, Sega
shifted its focus to the Sega Saturn and discontinued all advertising for Genesis hardware, including the Sega CD.
The add-on itself was officially no longer supported in 1996.
Mega-CD 2 motherboard
The Sega CD can only be used in conjunction with a Genesis system,
attaching through an expansion slot on the side of the main console.
Though the Sega CD is an add-on, it does require its own separate
power supply. In addition to playing its own library of games in
CD-ROM format, the Sega CD can also play compact discs, karaoke
CD+G discs, and can also be used in conjunction with the Sega 32X to
play 32-bit games that utilize both add-ons. The second model, also
known as the Sega CD 2, also includes a steel joining plate to be
screwed into the bottom of the Genesis, as well as an extension spacer
to work with the original model of the Genesis.
The main CPU of the Sega CD is a 12.5MHz 16-bit Motorola 68000
processor, which runs 5MHz faster than the Genesis processor. It
contains 1 Mbit of boot ROM, allocated for the CD game BIOS, CD
player software, and compatibility with CD+G discs. 6 Mbit of RAM are allocated to data for programs, pictures,
and sounds; 512 Kbit to PCM waveform memory; 128 Kbit to CD-ROM data cache memory; and an additional 64
Kbit are allocated as backup memory. Additional backup memory in the form of a 1 Mbit Backup RAM Cartridge
was also available as a separate purchase. Audio is supplied through a PCM sound source, and two RCA pin jacks
allow the Sega CD to output stereophonic sound separate from the Genesis. Combining stereo sound from a Genesis
to either version of the Sega CD requires a cable between the Genesis's headphone jack and an input jack on the back
of the CD unit. This is not required for the second model of the Genesis. An extra graphics chip made by Fujitsu for
Sega adds built-in scaling and rotation graphic capabilities similar to the SNES.
Though the Sega CD offers a faster processor, its main purpose is to expand the size of the games. Whereas ROM
cartridges of the day typically contained 8 to 16 megabits of data, a CD-ROM disc can hold more than 640
megabytes of data, or more than 320 times the storage of a Genesis cartridge. This allows the Sega CD to run games
containing full motion video.
Mega-CD
241
Variations
See also: Sega Genesis Variations
Sega CD with original Genesis Sega CD 2 with second model Genesis Sega Genesis CDX
Victor Wondermega RG-M1 Victor Wondermega RG-M2 Pioneer LaserActive
The Sega CD received several variations during its lifetime, of which Sega constructed three. The original model
utilized a front-loading motorized disc tray and sat underneath the Genesis. Sega later released the Sega CD 2, which
was redesigned to sit next to the second model of the Genesis and featured a top-loading disc tray in place of the
motorized tray of the original model. In addition to the add-on models, Sega also released the Genesis CDX
(Multi-Mega in Japan and Europe). This console was a combination of the Genesis and Sega CD into one unit, and
initially retailed at US$399. Unique to this model was its additional functionality as a portable compact disc player.
Three additional system models were created by other electronics companies. Working with Sega of Japan, JVC
released the Wondermega on April 1, 1992, in Japan, at an initial retail price of 82,800 (or US$620). The system
was later redesigned by JVC and released as the X'Eye in North America in September 1994. Designed by JVC to be
a Genesis and Sega CD combination with high quality audio, the Wondermega's high price kept it out of the hands of
average consumers. Likewise was the case with the Pioneer LaserActive, which was also an add-on that required an
attachment developed by Sega, known as the Mega-LD pack, in order to play Genesis and Sega CD games. Though
the LaserActive, developed by Pioneer Corporation, was lined up to compete with the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer,
the combined system and Mega-LD pack retailed at nearly $1600, becoming a very expensive option for Sega CD
players. Aiwa also released the CSD-GM1, a combination Genesis/Sega CD unit built into a boombox.
Game library
The Sega CD supports a library of over 200 games created both by Sega and an array of third-party publishers.
Included in this library are six games which, while receiving individual Sega CD releases, also received separate
versions that utilized both the Sega CD and Sega 32X add-ons. Among the titles released for the add-on were a
number of FMV games, including Sewer Shark and Fahrenheit. Well-known titles include Sonic the Hedgehog CD,
Lunar: Eternal Blue, and Snatcher, as well as the controversial Night Trap.
[1][2]
Although Sega created Streets of
Rage for the Genesis to compete against the SNES port of the arcade hit Final Fight, the Sega CD received an
enhanced version of the latter game that has been praised for its greater faithfulness to the arcade original. Eternal
Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side was noted for its impressive use of the system's hardware as well as its
violent content. In particular, Sonic the Hedgehog CD has garnered critical acclaim for its excellent graphics and
new time travel elements, which improved upon the traditional Sonic formula. The Sega CD also received enhanced
ports of games from the Genesis, such as Batman Returns and Ecco the Dolphin.
Mega-CD
242
Given the large number of FMV games and Genesis ports, the Sega CD's game library has been criticized for its lack
of depth. Full motion video quality was substandard on the Sega CD due to poor video compression software and the
system's limited color palette, and the concept never caught on with the public. According to Digital Pictures founder
Tom Zito, "Sega CD could only put up 32 colors at a time, so you had this horrible grainy look to the images,"
though the system was able to put up 64 colors at one time. Likewise, most Genesis ports for the Sega CD added in
additional full motion video sequences, extra levels, and enhanced audio, but were otherwise the same game as the
Genesis release. The video quality in these sequences has also been criticized as comparable to an old VHS tape.
PAL Mega-CD 2 with a Mega Drive and a Sega
32X attached. Each device requires its own power
supply.
Near the time of its release, the Sega CD was awarded Best New
Peripheral of 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly. Four separate
reviews scored the add-on 8, 9, 8, and 8 out of 10; reviewers cited its
upgrades to the Genesis as well as its high-quality and expanding
library of games. Later reception in 1995 by Electronic Gaming
Monthly showed a more mixed response to the peripheral, with four
reviewers scoring it 5 out of 10, citing its game library issues and
substandard video quality. Likewise, in a special Game Machine Cross
Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsshin scored the Japanese Mega-CD
2 a 17 out of 40.
Retrospective reception of the Sega CD is mixed, praising certain titles in its game library but criticizing its low
value for money and limitations on the benefits it provides to the Genesis. GamePro listed the Sega CD as the
7th-worst selling video game console of all time, with reviewer Blake Snow noting that "The problem was threefold:
the device was expensive at $299, it arrived late in the 16-bit life cycle, and it didn't do much (if anything) to
enhance the gameplay experience." Snow went on to note, however, that the Sega CD did have in its library "the
greatest Sonic game of all time" in Sonic the Hedgehog CD. IGN's Levi Buchanan criticized Sega's implementation
of CD technology for the Genesis, noting, "What good is the extra storage space if there is nothing inventive to be
done with it? No new gameplay concepts emerged from the SEGA CDit just offered more of the same. In fact,
with few exceptions like Sonic CD, it often offered some of the 16-bit generation's worst games, like Demolition
Man." By contrast, Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com gave a positive review of the Sega CD, stating that "taken on its own
merits, the Sega CD had much to offersolid tech that more than doubled the Genesis' raw hardware power,
interesting capabilities, and a strong software library." Writing for Retro Gamer, Damien McFerran cited various
reasons for the Sega CD's limited sales, including the add-on's high price, lack of significant enhancement to the
Genesis console, and lack of ability to function without a console attached. Retro Gamer writer Aaron Birch,
however, defended the Sega CD and wrote that "the single biggest cause of the Mega-CD's failure was the console
itself. When the system came out, CD-ROM technology was still in its infancy and companies had yet to get to grips
with the possibilities it offered... quite simply, the Mega-CD was a console ahead of its time."
The poor support for the Sega CD has often been criticized as the first link in the devaluation of the Sega brand.
Writing for IGN, Buchanan described an outside perspective on Sega's decision to release the Sega CD with its poor
library and console support, stating, "[T]he SEGA CD instead looked like a strange, desperate movesomething
designed to nab some ink but without any real, thought-out strategy. Genesis owners that invested in the add-on were
sorely disappointed, which undoubtedly helped sour the non-diehards on the brand." In reviewing for GamePro,
Snow commented that "[the] Sega CD marked the first of several Sega systems that saw very poor support;
something that devalued the once-popular Sega brand in the eyes of consumers, and something that would ultimately
lead to the company's demise as a hardware maker."
Mega-CD
243
Former Sega of America senior producer Scot Bayless attributes the unsuccessful market to a lack of direction from
Sega with the add-on. According to Bayless, "It was a fundamental paradigm shift with almost no thought given to
consequences. I honestly don't think anyone at Sega asked the most important question: 'Why?' There's a rule I
developed during my time as an engineer in the military aviation business: never fall in love with your tech. I think
that's where the Mega-CD went off the rails. The whole company fell in love with the idea without ever really asking
how it would affect the games you made." Sega of America producer Michael Latham offers a contrasting view of
support for the add-on, however, stating "I loved the Sega CD. I always thought the platform was under-appreciated
and that it was hurt by an over-concentration of trying to make Hollywood interactive film games versus using its
storage and extended abilities to make just plain great video games."
References
[1] Lunar: The Silver Star and its PlayStation remake have also garnered positive retrospective coverage. See, e.g., cf. cf.
[2] [2] cf.
Neo Geo
This article is about the original Neo Geo arcade and console systems. For the Neo Geo brand as a whole, see Neo
Geo.
Neo Geo
Neo Geo AES console (top) and 4-slot MVS arcade cabinet (bottom)
Manufacturer SNK
Product family Neo Geo
Retail availability
JP
January 31, 1990
NA
(MVS) August 22, 1990 (AES) June 18, 1991
EU
1991
Introductory price US$649.99
Discontinued 2004
Media ROM cartridge
Neo Geo
244
CPU Motorola 68000 clocked at 12MHz, Zilog Z80A clocked at 4MHz
Memory 64KB RAM, 84KB VRAM, 2KB Sound Memory
Storage Memory card
Display 320224 resolution, 4096 on-screen colors out of a palette of 65536
Dimensions 325 237 60 mm
The Neo Geo (Japanese: Hepburn: NeojioHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a cartridge-based
arcade system board and home video game console released on January 31, 1990 by Japanese game company SNK.
Although it is a member of the fourth generation of video game consoles, it is the first system in the Neo Geo family,
which ran throughout the 1990s before being revived in December 2012 with the Neo Geo X handheld and home
system.
The MVS (Multi Video System), as the Neo Geo is known to the coin-operated arcade game industry, offers owners
the ability to put up to six different arcade titles into a single cabinet, a key economic consideration for operators
with limited floorspace. With its games stored on self-contained cartridges, a game cabinet can be exchanged for a
different game title by swapping the game's ROM-cartridge and cabinet artwork. The platform's popular series
include Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown.
The Neo Geo system is also a notably costly and technologically uncompromised home console, commonly referred
to today as the AES (Advanced Entertainment System). The Neo Geo was marketed as 24-bit, though it is
technically a parallel processing 16-bit 68000-based system with an 8-bit Z80 coprocessor.
Neo Geo hardware production lasted seven years, discontinued in 1997; and game software production lasted
fourteen years, discontinued in 2004.
[1]
In 2009, the Neo Geo was ranked 19th out of the 25 best video game
consoles of all time by the video game website IGN. There is an amateur and professional commercial homebrew
market for the system.
History
Inside a four cartridge Neo Geo arcade machine
Initially, the (AES) home system was only available for rent to
commercial establishments, such as hotel chains, bars and restaurants,
and other venues. When customer response indicated that some gamers
were willing to buy a US$650 console, SNK expanded sales and
marketing into the home console market. The Neo Geo console was
officially launched on January 31, 1990 in Osaka, Japan. Neo Geo's
graphics and sound are largely superior to other contemporary home
consoles, and the MVS is one of the most powerful arcade units at the
time. Furthermore, since the AES was identical to its arcade
counterpart, the MVS, arcade titles released for the home market are
perfect translations. Although its high price tag kept it out of the
mainstream gaming market, it outlasted the market lifespan of the more popular Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
In the United States, the console's debut price was planned to be US$599 and included two joystick controllers and a
game: either Baseball Stars Professional or NAM-1975. However, the price was raised and its American launch
debuted as the Gold System at US$649.99. Later, the Gold System was bundled with Magician Lord and Fatal Fury.
The Silver System package, launched at US$399.99, includes one joystick controller and does not include a game.
Other games were launched at about US$200 and up. At double or quadruple the competition, these premium prices
made the console accessible only to a niche market.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Several home console systems were created based on the same hardware as the arcade games, as well as a series of
handheld systems under the Neo Geo brand. The most recent, the Neo Geo X, is an officially licensed device with a
Neo Geo
245
collection of Neo Geo AES games pre-installed. These systems include the following: Hyper Neo Geo 64 arcade
system, Neo Geo CD, Neo Geo Pocket, Neo Geo Pocket Color, and Neo Geo X.
When realtime 3D graphics became the norm in the arcade industry, the Neo Geo's 2D hardware was unable to do
likewise. The last official game by SNK for the Neo Geo system, Samurai Shodown V Special, was released in 2004.
SNK ceased to manufacture home consoles by the end of 1997, but continued to release games for both arcade and
home for another eight years.
Measured from the introduction of the arcade hardware in 1990 to the release of the last official home cartridge in
2004, the Neo Geo enjoyed a primary software production lifespan of fourteen years, and a hardware production
lifespan of seven years. On August 31, 2007, SNK stopped offering maintenance and repairs to Neo Geo home
consoles, handhelds, and games.
[2]
Reception
In 2009, the Neo Geo was ranked 19th out of the 25 best video game consoles of all time by the video game website
IGN.
Technical details
An early revision Neo Geo AES motherboard.
Each joystick controller is 280mm (width) 190mm (depth) 95mm
(height) ( 11 8 2.5 in.) and contains the same four-button layout as
the arcade MVS cabinet.
The arcade machines have a memory card system by which a player
could save a game to return to at a later time and could also be used to
continue play on the SNK home console of the same name.
The arcade version of the video game hardware is often referred to as
the "MVS," or Multi Video System (available in 1-slot, 2-slot, 4-slot,
and 6-slot variations, the latter being capable of up to six cartridges
loaded into one machine), with its console counterpart referred to as
the "AES", or Advanced Entertainment System. Early motherboard revisions contain daughterboards, used to
enhance the clarity of the video output.
The MVS and AES hardware can execute identical machine code. Owners can move EPROMs from one type to the
other, and the game will still run. The program specifics for both MVS and AES game options are contained on
every game ROM, whether the cartridge is intended for home or arcade use. However, the arcade and home
cartridges do have a different pinout. They were designed this way to prevent arcade operators from buying the
cheaper home carts and then using them in arcades. It has been found that in a few home version games, one could
unlock the arcade version of the game by inputting a special code.
ROM sizes and startup screens
The original specification for ROM size is up to 330 megabits, hence the system displaying "MAX 330 MEGA
PRO-GEAR SPEC" upon startup. While no technical advances were required to achieve it, some games over 100
megabits, such as Top Hunter, followed this screen by displaying an animation proclaiming "THE 100MEGA
SHOCK!". The original ROM size specification was later enhanced on cartridges with bank switching memory
technology, increasing the maximum cartridge size to around 716 megabits. These new cartridges also cause the
system to display "GIGA POWER PRO-GEAR SPEC" upon startup or during attract mode, indicating this
enhancement.
Neo Geo
246
Specifications
The arcade game cartridges measure 7.5 inches (190mm) by 5.34
inches (136mm)
Processor
Main processor: Motorola 68000, often produced by
another manufacturer, running at 12 MHz.
Co-processor: Zilog Z80 running at 4 MHz. This is
also used as an audio controller.
Memory
Main memory (used directly by 68000): 64 KB
Main video memory : 84 KB
Video memory: 64 KB (32 KB x2)
Palette memory : 16 KB (8 KB x 2)
Fast video RAM : 4 KB (2 KB x 2)
Sound memory (used directly by Z80): 2 KB
Display
A custom video chipset allows the system to draw sprites in vertical strips which are 16 pixels wide, and can be 16 to
512 pixels tall; it can draw up to 96 sprites per scanline for a total of 380 sprites on the screen at a time. Unlike most
other video game consoles of its time, the Neo Geo does not use tilemap background layers. Instead, it relies
exclusively on drawing sprites to create the background. By laying multiple sprites side by side, the system can
simulate a background layer.
Display resolution: 320224 px (many games only use the centermost 304 pixels)
Color palette: 65,536 (16-bit) (Not RGB565, but RGB666, where the lowest bit of each channel is shared with
one bit)
Maximum colors on screen: 4096 (12-bit)
Maximum sprites on screen: 380
Minimum sprite size: 12 px
Maximum sprite size: 16512 px
Maximum sprites per scanline: 96
Simultaneous scroll planes: 3
Aspect ratio: 4:3
A/V output: RF, composite video/RCA audio, RGB (with separate 21 pin RGB cable FCG-9, or European
standard RGB SCART cable).
Sound
The onboard Yamaha YM2610 sound chip gives the system 15 channels of sound with seven channels reserved
specifically for digital sound effects.
Sound chip: Yamaha YM2610
Four concurrent FM channels (voices), four operators per channel
Three SSG channels
One programmable noise channel
ADPCM-A: Six ADPCM channels, 18.5kHz sampling rate
ADPCM-B: One ADPCM channel, 1.855.5kHz sampling rate
Two interval timers
A low frequency oscillator (LFO)
Neo Geo
247
Work RAM (sound): 2KB
Sound ROM 128KB on-board (only less than 32KB used)
up to 512KB sound ROM on cartridges
Power
Source: separate DC 5 V (older systems) and DC 9 V adapter (newer systems).
Consumption: 8 W older Systems, 5 W newer Systems
Dimensions
Console: 325mm (width) 237mm (depth) 60mm (height).
Controller: 280mm (width) 190mm (depth) 95mm (height).
Console storage
Removable memory card: 2KB or 68-pin JEIDA
ver. 3 spec memory. Any 68-pin memory that fits
the JEIDA ver. 3 spec will work.
Arcade storage
Removable memory card: 68-pin. Cartridge is
composed of 2 PCBs.
Legacy
The Neo Geo is the first home game console to feature
a removable memory card for saved games.
By the mid-1990s, SNK was trying to move onto a new platform, notably the Hyper-64. A Hyper-64 game called
"Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition" was ported to the PlayStation.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The GameTap subscription service has included a Neo Geo emulator and a small library of Neo Geo games. In 2007
Nintendo announced that Neo Geo games would appear on the Wii's Virtual Console,
[3]
starting with Fatal Fury:
King of Fighters, Art of Fighting, and World Heroes. Neo Geo games are also available through Xbox Live Arcade
and PlayStation Network, including Fatal Fury Special, Samurai Shodown II, Metal Slug 3, Garou: Mark of the
Wolves and The King of Fighters '98.
Homebrew activity exists even since the console's discontinuation, both by noncommercial hobbyists and
commercially.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Neo Geo has a community of collectors. Because of the limited production runs received by cartridges amongst the
sizable available arcade library, some of the rarest Neo Geo games can sell for well over $1,000. The most valuable
game is the European AES version of Kizuna Encounter. The MVS market provides a cheaper alternative to the
expensive and rare home cartridges, and complete arcade kits are priced at a premium.
Neo Geo
248
References
[1] Hirohiko Niizumi, (http:/ / www.gamespot.com/ neo/ action/ samuraishodownvspecial/ news. html?sid=6103366& om_act=convert&
om_clk=newsfeatures& tag=newsfeatures;title;2), GameSpot, July 23, 2004, Accessed June 8, 2008.
[2] No Love: SNK Stop Neo Geo Support (http:/ / kotaku.com/ gaming/ no-love/ snk-stop-neo-geo-support-265509. php), Kotaku
[3] Virtual Console: NeoGeo Games Coming To Virtual Console (http:/ / kotaku. com/ gaming/ virtual-console/
neogeo-games-coming-to-virtual-console-299206.php), Kotaku
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Neo-Geo.
Official websites in Japanese (http:/ / snkplaymore. co. jp/ ), English (http:/ / www. snkplaymoreusa. com/ )
SNK Playmore USA official web site (http:/ / neogeomuseum. snkplaymore. co. jp/ english/ )
Official Neo Geo website (http:/ / game. snkplaymore. co. jp/ official/ online/ index. php)
A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo (http:/ / www. neogeosoft. com/ )
Video of Neo Geo AES (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=hdUopin4jvQ) hardware and features from
FamicomDojo.TV (http:/ / famicomdojo. tv/ season2/ neo-geo-affair)
Neo-Geo CD
249
Neo-Geo CD
Neo Geo CD
The Neo Geo CD system
Manufacturer SNK
Retail availability
JP
September, 1994
NA
1994
EU
December, 1994
Discontinued 1997
Media CD-ROM
CPU Motorola 68000 running at 12 MHz
Predecessor Neo Geo AES
Neo Geo CD ( CD Neo Jio Sh DHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a game console from SNK
that was released in September 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce
manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at
US$300Wikipedia:Citation needed, or 399 in the UK. The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading
times very long as a result, with the system loading up to 56 Mbit of data with every load. Wikipedia:Citation needed
Neo Geo CD game prices were low at $50, in contrast to Neo Geo AES game cartridges, which cost as much as
$300. The system can also play Audio CDs. All three versions of the system have no region-lock.
The Neo Geo CD was bundled with a control pad instead of a joystick like the AES version. However, the original
AES joystick could also be used with all three Neo Geo CD models.
Models
Three versions of the Neo Geo CD were released:
A "front-loading" version. Only distributed in Japan, 25,000 total units were built.
A "top-loading" version. Marketed worldwide, it is the most common model.
The Neo Geo CDZ. An upgraded, faster-loading version, this was also released in Japan only.
CDZ
The CDZ was released on December 29, 1995
[1]
as the Japanese market replacement for SNK's previous efforts (the
"front loader" and the "top loader"). The Neo Geo CD had met with limited success due to it being plagued with
slow loading times that could vary from 30 to 60 seconds between loads, depending on the game. Although SNK's
American home entertainment division quickly acknowledged that the system simply was incapable to compete with
the 3D-able powerhouse systems of the day like Sega's Saturn and Sony's PlayStation, SNK corporate of Japan felt
they could continue to maintain profitable sales in the Japanese home market by shortening the previous system's
Neo-Geo CD
250
load-times. Wikipedia:Citation needed
Popular speculation suggests that SNK made several changes to the CD hardware to end up with the CDZ, with the
most prominent rumor being that they increased the CD-ROM drive speed from 1x to 2x. The truth, however, is that
the CDZ had a larger amount of cache. Though the CD-ROM motor in the CDZ may have been more efficient than
the one in the original, it was still a 1x speed CD-ROM.
This version of the console has a design flaw that sometimes causes it to overheat after certain periods of time,
breaking the console in the process and making it hard to repair. This is a result of a lack of ventilation in the
cramped housing of the smaller unit and the inability to dissipate heat generated by the newer drive, which could
damage the circuit board.
CDZ availability
The CDZ was only officially sold in Japan during its production. However, its lack of a "region lock", and the fact
that it could play older CD software, made it a popular import item for enthusiasts in both Europe and North
America. Today they can be found sporadically on the internet, especially through auction sites such as eBay.
Neo Geo Controller Pro
The back of the Neo Geo CD
Main Processor: Motorola 68000 running at 12 MHz
Although the original 68000 CPU was designed by Motorola,
there are many clones of this CPU found in the Neo Geo
hardware. The most common CPU is the TMP68HC000
manufactured by Toshiba.
Co-Processor: Zilog Z80 running at 4MHz
Colors On Screen: 4,096
Colors Available: 65,536
Resolution: 304 x 224
Max Sprites: 384
Max Sprite Size: 16 x 512
Number of Planes: 3 (128 sprites per plane as the Neo Geo does not
use bitmaps for its planes like with most game systems at the time)
The system is also capable of reading Redbook standard compact disc
audio.
In addition to the multi-AV port (almost same one as used on the Sega
Genesis model 1, though they are not interchangeable), all Neo Geo
CD models had composite RCA A/V and S-Video out jacks on the rear of the console.
The CD system's 58 Mbit / 7 MB of RAM was split accordingly:
68000 Program Memory: 2 MB
Fix Layer Memory: 128 KB
Graphics Memory: 4 MB
Sound Sample Memory: 1 MB
Z80 Program Memory: 64 kB
VRAM: 512Kb (For graphics attributes)
SRAM: 2 KB (For high scores / general save data)
Neo-Geo CD
251
Exclusive games
While the Neo Geo CD library consisted primarily of ports of MVS and AES titles, there were a few MVS arcade
games which were not officially released for the Neo Geo AES and ported instead to the Neo Geo CD. These include
Puzzle Bobble, Janshin Densetsu: Quest of Jongmaster (a Mahjong game also released for the PC Engine), Power
Spikes II, Neo Drift Out: New Technology, and Pleasure Goal: 5-on-5 Mini Soccer [Futsal: 5-on-5 Mini Soccer].
A few games which were unreleased in MVS and AES formats were also released exclusively for the Neo Geo CD.
These include Ironclad: Tessh Rusha [Chtetsu Buriking, BRIKIN'GER], Crossed Swords II, ZinTrick [Oshidashi
Zintorikku], ADK World, Neo Geo CD Special, The King of Fighters '96 Neo Collection, Samurai Shodown RPG
[Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushid Retsuden] (an RPG spin-off of the Samurai Shodown series that also released
for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn), and Idol-Mahjong Final Romance 2 (an arcade game which was not an MVS
game, but was ported directly to the Neo Geo CD). Like for the MVS/AES, also for the Neo Geo CD were made of
the exclusive unlicensed titles (Last Hope and Frog Feast
[2]
), as well as some exclusive prototype and homebrewed
games, which are:
Prototyped games
Bang Busters [Bang Bang Busters] (Made by Visco in 2000. Released in 2010 for Neo Geo CD by N.C.I.);
Treasure of the Caribbean [Caribe no Zaih] (Made by Face in 1994. Released in 2011 for Neo Geo CD by
N.C.I./Le Cortex).
Homebrewed games
NGEM2K (Made by Blastar in 2006);
Neo Pang (Made by CeL and published by NGF Dev. Inc. in 2010);
[3]
Neo Puzzle League (Made by Blastar in 2006);
Neo Thunder (Made by Sebastian Mihai and self-published in 2011);
[4]
Santaball (Made by M. Priewe and self-published in 2012);
[5]
Time's UP! (Made by CeL and published by NGF Dev. Inc. in 2012).
[6]
References
[1] http:/ / www. obsolete-tears. com/ snk-neogeo-cd-machine-226. html
[2] Frog Feast (http:/ / www.mobygames. com/ game/ neo-geo-cd/ frog-feast/ cover-art/ gameCoverId,50135/ ): Neo Geo CD cover.
[3] Neo Pang (http:/ / redarmor. net/ )
[4] Neo Thunder (http:/ / sebastianmihai. com/ main.php?t=22)
[5] Santaball - my Christmas gift to you (http:/ / www.neo-geo. com/ forums/ showthread. php?239263-Santaball-my-Christmas-gift-to-you)
[6] Time's UP! (http:/ / redarmor. net/ )
External links
NeoGeoCD.net (http:/ / www. egameaddiction. com/ neogeocd/ ) Dedicated to the Neo Geo CD System,
Games, and Accessories: Neogeocd.net
NeoGeoSoft.com (http:/ / www. neogeosoft. com/ ): A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo.
Sega 32X
252
Sega 32X
Sega 32X
Sega 32X attached to a model 2 Sega Genesis
Manufacturer Sega
Type Video game console add-on
Retail availability NA
November 21, 1994
JP
December 3, 1994
EU
January 1995
16,800
169.99
Discontinued 1996
Units sold 665,000 as of the end of 1994
Media Cartridge,
CD-ROM (with Sega CD)
CPU 2 SH-2 32-bit RISC (23MHz)
Memory 256 KB RAM
Display 320240 resolution, 32,768 on-screen colors
Dimensions 110 210 100mm (4.3 8.3 3.9in)
Weight 495g (17.5oz)
Predecessor Sega Genesis
Successor Sega Saturn
Related articles Sega CD
The Sega 32X is an add-on for the Sega Genesis video game console. Codenamed "Project Mars", the 32X was
designed to expand the power of the Genesis and serve as a transitional console into the 32-bit era until the later
release of the Sega Saturn. Independent of the Genesis, the 32X utilizes its own ROM cartridges and has its own
library of games. The add-on was distributed under the name Super 32X ( 32X Sp St Tsu
EkkusuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) in Japan, Sega Genesis 32X in North America, Sega Mega Drive 32X
Sega 32X
253
in the PAL region, and Sega Mega 32X in Brazil.
Unveiled at June 1994's Consumer Electronics Show, Sega presented the 32X as a low-cost option for consumers
looking to play 32-bit games. Developed in response to the Atari Jaguar and concerns that the Saturn would not
make it to market by the end of 1994, the product was originally conceived as an entirely new console. At the
suggestion of Sega of America executive Joe Miller and his team, the console was converted into an add-on to the
existing Genesis and made more powerful. The final design contained two 32-bit central processing unit chips and a
3Dgraphics processor. In order to bring the new add-on to market by its scheduled release date of November 1994,
development of the new system and its games were rushed. Ultimately, the console failed to attract third-party video
game developers and sufficient consumers due to the announcement of the Sega Saturn's simultaneous release in
Japan. Sega's efforts to rush the 32X to market cut into available time for game development, resulting in a weak
library of forty titles that could not fully utilize the add-on's hardware, including Genesis ports. By the end of 1994,
the 32X had sold 665,000 units. After price reductions in 1995, it was officially discontinued in 1996 as Sega turned
their focus toward the Saturn.
The 32X is considered a commercial failure. Initial reception after the add-on's unveiling and launch was positive,
highlighting the low price of the system and power expansion to the Genesis. Later reviews, both contemporary and
retrospective, for the 32X have been mostly negative because of its shallow game library, poor market timing and the
resulting market fragmentation for the Genesis.
History
Released in Japan as the Mega Drive in 1988, North America in 1989, and Europe and other regions as the Mega
Drive in 1990, the Sega Genesis was Sega's entry into the 16-bit era of video game consoles. In mid-1990, Sega CEO
Hayao Nakayama hired Tom Kalinske as CEO of Sega of America. Kalinske developed a four-point plan for sales of
the Genesis: cut the price of the console, create a U.S.-based team to develop games targeted at the American
market, continue aggressive advertising campaigns, and pack Sonic the Hedgehog in with the console. The Japanese
board of directors initially disapproved of the plan, but all four points were approved by Nakayama, who told
Kalinske, "I hired you to make the decisions for Europe and the Americas, so go ahead and do it." Magazines praised
Sonic as one of the greatest games yet made, and Sega's console took off as customers who had been waiting for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) decided to purchase a Genesis instead.
Although the earlier release of the Sega CD add-on had been commercially disappointing, Sega began to develop a
stop-gap solution that would bridge the gap between the Genesis and the Sega Saturn, serving as a less expensive
entry into the 32-bit era. The decision to create a new system was made by Nakayama and broadly supported by
Sega of America employees. According to former Sega of America producer Scot Bayless, Nakayama was worried
that the Saturn would not be available until after 1994, as well as the recent release of the 32-bit Atari Jaguar, and as
a result the direction given was to have this second release to market by the end of the year.
Development
At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January 1994, Sega of America research and development head Joe
Miller took a phone call from Nakayama, in which Nakayama stressed the importance of coming up with a quick
response to the Jaguar. Included on this call were Bayless, Sega hardware team head Hideki Sato, and Sega vice
president of technology Marty Franz. One potential idea for this came from a concept from Sega of Japan, later
known as "Project Jupiter", an entirely new independent console. Project Jupiter was initially slated to be a new
version of the Genesis, with an upgraded color palette and a lower cost than the upcoming Saturn, as well as with
some limited 3D capabilities thanks to integration of ideas from the development of the Sega Virtua Processor chip.
Miller suggested an alternative strategy, citing concerns with releasing a new console with no previous design
specifications within six to nine months. According to former Sega of America producer Michael Latham, Miller
said, "Oh, that's just a horrible idea. If all you're going to do is enhance the system, you should make it an add-on. If
Sega 32X
254
it's a new system with legitimate new software, great. But if the only thing it does is double the colors..." Miller,
however, insists that the decision was made collectively to talk about alternative solutions. One idea was to leverage
the existing Genesis as a way to keep from alienating Sega customers, who would otherwise be required to discard
their Genesis systems entirely to play 32-bit games, as well as to control the cost of the new system. This would
come in the form of an add-on. From these discussions, Project Jupiter was discontinued and the new add-on,
codenamed "Project Mars", was advanced.
At the suggestion from Miller and his team, Sega designed the 32X as a peripheral for the existing Genesis,
expanding its power with two 32-bit SuperH-2 processors. The SH-2 had been developed in 1993 as a joint venture
between Sega and Japanese electronics company Hitachi. The original design for the 32X add-on, according to
Bayless, was created on a cocktail napkin, but Miller insists that this was not the case. At the end of the Consumer
Electronics show, with the basic design of the 32X in place, Sega of Japan invited Sega of America to assist in
development of the new add-on.
Although the new unit was a stronger console than originally proposed, it was not compatible with Saturn games.
This was justified by Sega's statement that both platforms would run at the same time, and that the 32X would be
aimed at players who could not afford the more expensive Saturn. Bayless praised the potential of this system at this
point, calling it "a coder's dream for the day" with its twin processors and 3D capabilities. Sega of America headed
up the development of the 32X, with some assistance from Sato's team at Sega of Japan. Shortages of processors due
to the same 32-bit chips being used in both the 32X and the Saturn hindered the development of the 32X, as did the
language barrier between the teams in Japan and the United States.
Before the 32X could be launched, the release date of the Saturn was announced for November 1994 in Japan,
coinciding with the 32X's target launch date in North America. Sega of America now was faced with trying to
market the 32X with the Saturn's Japan release occurring simultaneously. Their answer was to call the 32X a
"transitional device" between the Genesis and the Saturn, to which Bayless describes of the strategy, "[f]rankly, it
just made us look greedy and dumb to consumers."
Pre-launch promotion, release, and marketing
Japanese Sega Saturn, released in November
1994. The 32X was incompatible with Saturn
software.
The official unveiling of the 32X to the public came at the Summer
Consumer Electronics Show in June 1994 in Chicago. Promoted as the
"poor man's entry into 'next generation' games", 32X was marketed for
its US$159 price point as a less-expensive alternative to the Saturn.
However, Sega would not answer whether or not a Genesis console
equipped with a Sega CD and a 32X would be able to run Saturn
software. Founder of The 3DO Company, Trip Hawkins, was willing
to point out that it would not, stating, "Everyone knows that 32X is a
Band-Aid. It's not a 'next generation system.' It's fairly expensive. It's
not particularly high-performance. It's hard to program for, and it's not
compatible with the Saturn." In response to these comments, Sega
executive Richard Brudvik-Lindner pointed out that the 32X would play Genesis titles, and had the same system
architecture as the Saturn.
In August of that year, GamePro highlighted the advantages of the upcoming add-on in its 32-bit processors and
significantly lower price, noting that "[n]o doubt gotta-get-it-now gamers will spend the big bucks to grab Saturn or
PlayStation systems and games from Japan. For the rest of us, however, 32X may well be the system of choice in
'94." In promotion for the new system, Sega promised 12 games available at launch and 50 games due for release in
1995 from third-party developers.
Sega 32X
255
The 32X was released on November 21, 1994 in North America, in time for the holiday season that year. As
announced, it retailed for $159.99, and had a reasonably successful launch in the marketplace. Demand among
retailers was high, and Sega could not keep up orders for the system. Over 1,000,000 orders had been placed for 32X
units, but Sega had only managed to ship 600,000 units by January 1995. Launching at about the same price as a
Genesis console, the price of the 32X was less than half of what the Saturn's price would be at launch. Despite Sega's
initial promises, only four titles were available at its North American launch; Doom, Star Wars Arcade, Virtua
Racing Deluxe, and Cosmic Carnage. Games were available at a retail price of $69.95. Advertising for the system
included images of the 32X being connected to a Genesis console to create an "arcade system". Japan received the
32X on December 3, 1994, at a cost of JP16,800. The system's PAL release came in January 1995, at an initial price
of GB169.99, and also experienced initial high demand.
Decline
Despite the lower price console's positioning as an inexpensive entry into 32-bit gaming, Sega had a difficult time
convincing third-party developers to create games for the new system. Top developers were already aware of the
coming arrival of the Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation, and did not believe the 32X would be capable of
competing with any of those systems. The quick development time of the 32X also made game development
difficult, according to Franz. Not wanting to create games for an add-on that was "a technological dead-end", many
developers decided not to make games for the system. Issues also plagued titles developed in-house due to the time
crunch to release the 32X. According to Bayless, "games in the queue were effectively jammed into a box as fast as
possible, which meant massive cutting of corners in every conceivable way. Even from the outset, designs of those
games were deliberately conservative because of the time crunch. By the time they shipped they were even more
conservative; they did nothing to show off what the hardware was capable of."
Journalists were similarly concerned about Sega's tactic of selling two similar consoles at different prices and
attempting to support both, likening Sega's approach to that of General Motors and segmenting the market for its
consoles. In order to convince journalists that the 32X was a worthwhile console, Sega hosted a party for journalists
in a nightclub, featuring live music and 32X games on exhibition. The event turned out to be a bust, however, as
journalists attempted to leave the party due to its loud music and unimpressive games on display.
Though the system had a successful launch, demand soon disappeared. The 32X failed to catch on with the public,
and is considered a commercial failure. By 1995, the Genesis had still not proven successful in Japan, where it was
known as Mega Drive, and the Saturn was beating the PlayStation, so Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama decided to force
Sega of America to focus on the Saturn and cut support for Genesis products, executing a surprise early launch of the
Saturn in the early summer of 1995. Sega was supporting five different consoles before thisSaturn, Genesis, Game
Gear, Pico, and the Master Systemas well as the Sega CD and Sega 32X add-ons. Sales estimates for the 32X
stood at 665,000 units at the end of 1994. Despite assurances from Sega that many games would be developed for
the system, in early 1996, Sega finally conceded that they had promised too much out and decided to officially
discontinue the 32X in order to focus on the Saturn, with the add-on's final release being Darxide in PAL territories.
In September 1995, the retail price for the 32X dropped to $99, and later the remaining inventory was ultimately
cleared out of stores at $19.95.
Sega Neptune
The Sega Neptune was a two-in-one Genesis and 32X console which Sega planned to release in 1995 for the holiday
season, with a proposed retail price for the unit at US$200. Despite its initial scheduled release, the Neptune was
later delayed into 1996, then canceled altogether with the announcement of the cancellation of 32X production.
Electronic Gaming Monthly used the Sega Neptune as an April Fools' Day prank in its April 2001 issue. The issue
included a small article in which the writers announced that Sega had found a warehouse full of old Sega Neptunes,
and were selling them on a website for only $50. Also, a video game for the PlayStation 3 released in 2010 named
Sega 32X
256
Hyperdimension Neptunia took the name of the game's main character from the unreleased console.
Technical aspects and specifications
Hitachi's 32-bit SH2 chip, as used
in the 32X
The 32X can be used only in conjunction with a Genesis system. It is inserted into
the system like a standard game cartridge. The add-on requires its own separate
power supply, a connection cable linking it to the Genesis, and an additional
conversion cable for the original model of the Genesis. As well as playing its own
library of cartridges, the 32X also acts as a passthrough for Genesis games, and can
also be used in conjunction with the Sega CD to play games that utilize both
add-ons. The 32X also came with a spacer so it would fit properly with the second
model of the Genesis; an optional spacer was offered for use with the Sega Genesis
CDX system, but ultimately never shipped due to risks of electric shock when the
32X and CDX were connected. Installation of the 32X also requires the insertion of
two included electromagnetic shield plates into the Genesis' cartridge slot.
Seated on top of a Genesis, the 32X measures 115 210 100mm (4.5 8.3 3.9in). The 32X contains two
Hitachi SH2 32-bit RISC processors with a clock speed of 23 MHz, which Sega claimed would allow the system to
work 40 times faster than a stand-alone Genesis. Its graphics processing unit is capable of producing 32,768 colors
and rendering 50,000 polygons per second, which provides a noticeable improvement over the polygon rendering of
the Genesis. The 32X also includes 256 Kilobytes of random-access memory (RAM), along with 256 Kilobytes of
Video RAM. Sound is supplied through a pulse-width modulation sound source. Input/output is supplied to a
television set via a provided A/V cable that supplies composite video and stereo audio, or through an RF modulator.
Stereo audio can also be played through headphones via a headphone jack on the attached Genesis.
Game library
See also: List of Sega 32X games
The 32X's game library consists of fortytitles, including six that required both the Sega 32X and Sega CD. Among
the titles for the 32X were ports of arcade games Space Harrier and Star Wars Arcade, a sidescroller with a
hummingbird as a main character in Kolibri, and a 32X-exclusive game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series in
Knuckles' Chaotix. Several of the games released for the 32X are enhanced ports of Genesis games, including After
Burner, NFL Quarterback Club, and World Series Baseball '95. In a retrospective review of the console, Star Wars
Arcade was considered the best game for the 32X by IGN for its cooperative play, soundtrack, and faithful
reproduction of the experiences of Star Wars. Retro Gamer writer Damien McFerran, however, praised Virtua
Fighter as "the jewel in the 32X's crown",
[1]
and GamesRadar named Knuckles' Chaotix as the best game for the
system.
Although the console utilized 32-bit processing and was capable of better graphics and sound than the Genesis alone,
most games for the 32X did not take advantage of its hardware. Doom for the 32X received near perfect reviews
from gaming magazines upon launch, but was later noted for being an inferior version of the game compared to
releases for the PC and the Atari Jaguar, with the 32X version criticized for missing levels, poor graphic quality,
chuggy movement, and running within a window on the screen. Though the system had enhanced audio capabilities,
32X games did not utilize this, which Franz believes was due to developers being unwilling to invest in designing
games to work with the new audio enhancements. One source of these issues was the rush to release games on time
for the 32X's launch; former Sega of America executive producer Michael Latham explained, in reference to 32X
launch title Cosmic Carnage, "We were rushed. We had to get games out for the 32X and it was going to be such a
close cycle. When Cosmic Carnage showed up, we didn't even want to ship it. It took a lot of convincing, you know,
to ship that title." Likewise with Doom, id Software's John Carmack rushed to have the port ready for release at the
Sega 32X
257
32X's launch and had to trim out a third of the game's levels in order to meet the deadline for the port to be published
on time. Because of time limitations, game designs were intentionally conservative and did not show what the 32X
hardware was able to do.
Sega Genesis with both the 32X and CD add-ons
Initial reception to the 32X and its games upon the launch of the
add-on was very positive. Four reviewers from Electronic Gaming
Monthly scored the add-on 8, 7, 8, and 8 out of 10 in their 1995 Buyer's
Guide, highlighting the add-on's enhancements to the Genesis but
questioning how long the system would be supported. Reviews of its
launch titles, such as Doom, were likewise positive. By 1996, feedback
to the add-on had soured. In their 1996 Buyer's Guide, Electronic
Gaming Monthly's four reviewers scored the add-on 3, 3, 3, and 2 out
of 10, criticizing the game library and Sega's abandonment of the
system in favor of the Saturn.
Retrospectively, the 32X is widely criticized as having been under-supported and a poor idea in the wake of the
release of the Sega Saturn. 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish stated that the 32X "tainted just about everything it touched."
GamesRadar also panned the system, placing it as their ninth-worst console with reviewer Mikel Reparaz criticizing
that "it was a stopgap system that would be thrown under the bus when the Sega Saturn came out six months later,
and everyone seemed to know it except for die-hard Sega fans and the company itself." Retro Gamer's Damien
McFerran offered some praise for the power increase of the 32X to offer ports of Space Harrier, After Burner, and
Virtua Fighter that were accurate to the original arcade versions, as well as the add-on's price point, stating, "If you
didn't have deep enough pockets to afford a Saturn, then the 32X was a viable option; it's just a shame that it sold so
poorly because the potential was there for true greatness." Levi Buchanan, writing for IGN, saw some sense in the
move for Sega to create the 32X but criticized its implementation. According to Buchanan, "I actually thought the
32X was a better idea than the SEGA CD... The 32X, while underpowered, at least advanced the ball. Maybe it only
gained a few inches in no small part due to a weak library, but at least the idea was the right one."
In particular, the console's status as an add-on and poor timing after the announcement of the Saturn has been
identified by reviewers as being responsible factors for fracturing the audience for Sega's video game consoles in
terms of both developers and consumers. Allgame notes that "[e]very add-on whittled away at the number of
potential buyers and discouraged third-party companies from making the games necessary to boost sales." GamePro
listed the 32X as the second-worst-selling video game console of all time, criticizing the concept of the add-on and
noting the expenses involved in purchasing the system. According to reviewer Blake Snow, "Just how many 16-bit
attachments did one need? All in all, if you were one of the unlucky souls who completely bought into Sega's add-on
frenzy, you would have spent a whopping $650 dollars for something that weighed about as much as a small dog."
Writing for GamesRadar, Reparaz noted that "developersnot wanting to waste time on a technological
dead-endabandoned the 32X in droves. Gamers quickly followed suit, turning what was once a promising idea
into an embarrassing footnote in console history, as well as an object lesson in why console makers shouldn't split
their user base with pricey add-ons." Reparaz went on to criticize Sega's decision to release the 32X, noting that
"(u)ltimately, the 32X was the product of boneheaded short-sightedness: its existence put Sega into competition with
itself once the Saturn rolled out." Writing for IGN, Buchanan also notes that "Notice that we haven't seen many
add-ons like the 32X since 1994? I think the 32X killed the idea of an add-on like thisa power
boosterpermanently. And that's a good thing. Because add-ons, if not implemented properly, just splinter an
audience."
Former executives at Sega have mixed opinions of the 32X. Bayless believes firmly that the 32X serves as a warning
to the video game industry not to risk splintering the market for consoles by creating add-ons, and was critical of the
Sega 32X
258
Kinect and PlayStation Move for doing so. Franz places the 32X's commercial failure on its inability to function
without an attached Genesis and lack of a CD drive, despite its compatibility with the Sega CD, stating, "The 32X
was destined to die because it didn't have a CD drive and was an add-on. An add-on device is never as well thought
out as a built-from-scratch device." Miller, on the other hand, remembers the 32X positively, stating, "I think the
32X actually was an interesting, viable platform. The timing was wrong, and certainly our ability to stick with it,
given what we did with Saturn, was severely limited. There were a whole bunch of reasons why we couldnt
ultimately do what we had to do with that platform, without third party support and with the timing of Saturn, but I
still think the project was a success for a bunch of other reasons. In hindsight, it was not a great idea for a whole
bunch of other reasons."
References
[1] [1] cf.
Sega Game Gear
259
Sega Game Gear
Game Gear
Manufacturer Sega
Retail availability
JP
October 6, 1990
NA/EU
April 26, 1991
AUS
1992
Introductory price JP19,800, US$149.99, GB99.99
Discontinued April 30, 1997
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Zilog Z80 clocked at 3.5MHz
Memory 8KB RAM, 16KB VRAM
Display 160x144 pixel resolution, 4096 color palette
Dimensions 209 x 111 x 37 mm
Successor Sega Nomad
The Sega Game Gear ( Gmu GiaHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is an 8-bit handheld
game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America and Europe, and Australia in
1992. As part of the fourth generation of gaming, the Game Gear primarily competed with Nintendo's Game Boy, the
Atari Lynx and NEC's TurboExpress. The handheld shares much of its hardware with the Sega Master System and is
able to play its own titles as well as those of the Master System, the latter being made possible by the use of an
adapter. Containing a full-color backlit screen with a landscape format, Sega positioned the Game Gear as a
technologically superior handheld to the Game Boy.
Though the Game Gear was rushed to market, its unique game library and price point gave it an edge over the Atari
Lynx and TurboExpress. However, due to issues with its short battery life, lack of original titles, and weak support
from Sega, the Game Gear was unable to surpass the Game Boy, selling approximately 11 million units. The Game
Gear was succeeded by the Sega Nomad in 1995, discontinued in 1997 and re-released by Majesco in 2000. Several
Game Gear titles were released on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console service on the Nintendo eShop in 2012.
Retrospective reception to the Game Gear is mixed with criticisms over its large size and battery life, praises for its
full-color backlit screen and processing power for its time, and uneven reception over the quality of its game library.
Sega Game Gear
260
History
Developed under the name "Project Mercury", the Game Gear was first released in Japan on October 6, 1990,in
North America and Europe in 1991, and in Australia in 1992. Originally retailing at JP19,800 in Japan, US$149.99
in North America, and GB99.99 in Europe, the Game Gear was designed to compete with the Game Boy, which
Nintendo had released in 1989. The console had been designed as a portable version of the Master System, and
featured more powerful systems than the Game Boy, including a full-color screen, in contrast to the monochromatic
screen of its rival. In order to improve upon the design of their competition, Sega designed the Game Gear with a
similar shape to a Genesis controller, with the idea being that the curved surfaces and longer length would make the
Game Gear more comfortable to hold than the Game Boy. Despite the similarities the Game Gear shared with the
Master System, the games of the latter were not directly playable on the Game Gear, and were only able to be played
on the handheld by the use of an accessory called the Master System Converter. The original Game Gear pack-in
title was Columns, which was similar to the Tetris cartridge that Nintendo had included when it launched the Game
Boy.
Game Gear displaying the Sega trademark in
color
With a late start into the handheld gaming market, Sega rushed to get
the Game Gear into stores quickly, having lagged behind Nintendo in
sales without a handheld on the market. As one method of doing so,
Sega based the hardware of the Game Gear on the Master System,
albeit with a much larger color palette than its predecessor: the Game
Gear supported 4096 colors, compared to the 64 colors supported by
the Master System. Part of the intention of this move was to make
Master System games easy to port to the Game Gear. Though the
Game Gear was designed to be technologically superior to the Game
Boy, its design came at a cost of battery life: whereas the Game Boy could run for more than 30 hours on four AA
batteries, the Game Gear required six AA batteries and could only run for three to five hours. With its quick launch
in Japan, the handheld sold 40,000 units in its first two days, 90,000 within a month, and the number of back orders
for the system was over 600,000. According to Sega of America marketing director Robert Botch, "there is clearly a
need for a quality portable system that provides features other systems have failed to deliver. This means
easy-to-view, full-colour graphics and exciting quality games that appeal to all ages."
Release and marketing
Before the Game Gear's launch in 1990, Sega had had success marketing its 16-bit home console, the Genesis, by
advertising it as a "more mature" option for gamers. In keeping with this approach, Sega positioned the Game Gear
as a "grown-up" option compared to the Game Boy. While Sega's marketing in Japan did not take this perspective,
instead opting for advertisements with Japanese women featuring the handheld, Sega's worldwide advertising
prominently positioned the Game Gear as the "cooler" console than the Game Boy.
In North America, marketing for the Game Gear included side-by-side comparisons of Sega's new handheld with the
Game Boy, and likened Game Boy players to the obese and uneducated. One Sega advertisement featured the quote,
"If you were color blind and had an IQ of less than 12, then you wouldn't mind which portable you had." Such
advertising drew fire from Nintendo, who sought to have protests organized against Sega for insulting disabled
persons, but Sega responded with a statement from Sega of America president Tom Kalinske saying that Nintendo
"should spend more time improving their products and marketing rather than working on behind-the-scenes coercive
activities." Ultimately, this debate would have little impact on sales for the Game Gear.
Europe and Australia were the last regions to receive the Game Gear. Due to the delays in receiving the new
handheld, some importers paid as much as GB200 in order to have the new system. Upon the Game Gear's release
in Europe, video game distributor Virgin Mastertronic unveiled the price of the Game Gear as GB99.99, positioning
it as being more expensive than the Game Boy, but less expensive than the Atari Lynx, which was also a full-color
Sega Game Gear
261
system. Marketing in the United Kingdom included the use of the slogan, "To be this good takes Sega", and also
included advertisements with a biker with a Game Gear.
Decline
Support for the Game Gear by Sega was drastically hurt by its focus on its home console systems. In addition to the
success of the Sega Genesis, Sega was also supporting two peripherals for its home system, the Sega CD and the
Sega 32X, as well as developing its new 32-bit system, the Sega Saturn. Despite selling 11 million units in its
lifetime, the Game Gear was never able to match the success of its main rival, the Game Boy, which sold over ten
times that amount. The system's late sales were further hurt by Nintendo's release of the Game Boy Pocket, a smaller
version of the Game Boy which could run on two AAA batteries.
Plans for a 16-bit successor to the Game Gear were made to bring Sega's handheld gaming into the fifth generation
of video games, but a new handheld system never materialized for Sega, leaving only the Sega Nomad, a portable
version of the Sega Genesis, to take its place. Though the Nomad had been released in 1995, Sega did not officially
end support for the Game Gear until 1996 in Japan, and 1997 worldwide. As the short-lived successor to the Game
Gear, the Nomad would only sell one million units due to its own issues with battery life and library of older titles.
Though the system was no longer supported by Sega in 2000, third-party developer Majesco released a version of the
Game Gear at US$30, with games retailing at US$15. New games were released, such as a port of Sonic the
Hedgehog Spinball. This version was also compatible with all previous Game Gear games, but was incompatible
with the TV Tuner and some Master System converters. Over ten years later, on March 2, 2011, Nintendo announced
that their 3DS Virtual Console service on the Nintendo eShop would feature games from Game Gear.
A Game Gear with TV Tuner plugged in
A handheld game console, the Game Gear was designed to be played
while being held horizontally. The console contains an 8-bit 3.5MHz
Zilog Z80 chip for a central processing unit, the same as the Sega
Master System. Its screen was 3.2 square inches in size, and is able to
display up to 32 colors at a time, at a display resolution of 160 x 144
pixels, and is capable of displaying 4096 different colors in total. The
screen is backlit in order to allow gamers to play in low-lighting
situations. Powered by 6 AA batteries, the Game Gear has an
approximate battery life of 3 to 5 hours. In order to lengthen this
duration and to save money for consumers, Sega also released two
types of external rechargeable battery packs for the Game Gear. The
system contains 8KB of RAM and an additional 16KB of video RAM.
Audio is supplied through a mono speaker in the handheld, but stereo
sound is able to be supplied through an output for headphones.
Physically, the Game Gear measures 209mm across, 111mm high, and
37mm deep.
Several accessories were created for the Game Gear during its lifespan. A TV Tuner accessory plugged into the
system's cartridge slot, and allowed one to watch TV on the Game Gear's screen. Released at 74.99, the add-on was
expensive but unique for collectors and contributed to the system's popularity. Another accessory, the "Super Wide
Gear", was an accessory that magnified the Game Gear screen to compensate for its relatively small size. Also
released was an adaptor that plugged into car cigarette lighters to power the system while traveling, and the
"Gear-to-Gear Cable", an accessory that established a data connection between two Game Gear systems using the
same multiplayer game and let users play against each other.
Sega Game Gear
262
Over the course of its lifespan, the Game Gear also received a number of variations. Later releases included several
different colors for the console, including a blue "sports" variation released in North America bundled with World
Series Baseball '95 or The Lion King. A white version was also released, sold in a bundle with a TV tuner. Other
versions included a red Coca-Cola themed unit, bundled with the game Coca-Cola Kid, and the Kids Gear, a
Japan-only variation targeted toward children.
Game library
Main article: List of Game Gear games
Over 300 games were released for the Game Gear, although at the time of the console's launch, there were only six
software titles available. Prices for game cartridges initially ranged from $24.99 to $29.99 each. The casings were
molded black plastic with a rounded front to aid in removal. Some titles for the system included Sonic the Hedgehog,
Shinobi, Space Harrier, and Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, which was considered the best game for the
system by GamesRadar. Later titles took advantage of the success of the Sega Genesis, Sega's 16-bit video game
console, with games released from franchises originally released on the Genesis. A large part of the Game Gear's
library consists of Master System ports. Because of the landscape orientation of the Game Gear's screen and the
similarities in hardware between the handheld console and the Master System, it was easy for developers to port
Master System games to the Game Gear.
Due to Nintendo's licensing practices during the lifespan of the Game Gear, few third-party developers were
available to create games for Sega's system. This was a contributing factor to the large number of Master System
ports for the Game Gear. Likewise, because of this, the Game Gear library contained many games that were not
available on other handhelds, pulling sales away from the Atari Lynx and NEC TurboExpress and helping to
establish the Game Gear's position in the market. While the Game Gear's library consisted of over 300 titles,
however, the Game Boy's library contained over 1000 individual games.
Reception
Game Gear's 11 million units sold placed it in second place in terms of sales during the fourth generation of video
game consoles, surpassing the Atari Lynx and NEC TurboExpress, but lagged far behind the Game Boy in the
handheld marketplace. Retrospective reception to the Game Gear is mixed. In 2008, GamePro listed the Game Gear
as tenth on their list of the "10 Worst-Selling Handhelds of All Time" and criticized aspects of the implementation of
its technology, but also stated that the Game Gear could be considered a success for its 11 million units sold.
According to GamePro reviewer Blake Snow, "Unlike the Game Boy, the Game Gear rocked the landscape holding
position, making it less cramped for human beings with two hands to hold. And even though the Game Gear could
be considered a success, its bulky frame, relative high price, constant consumption of AA batteries, and a lack of
appealing games ultimately kept Sega from releasing a true successor."
GamesRadar offered some praise for the system and its library, stating, "With its 8-bit processor and bright color
screen, it was basically the Sega Master System in your hands. How many batteries did we suck dry playing Sonic,
Madden and Road Rash on the bus or in the car, or in the dark when we were supposed to be sleeping? You couldnt
do that on a Game Boy!" By contrast, IGN reviewer Levi Buchanan noted the Game Gear's biggest fault was its
game library when compared to the Game Boy, stating that "(t)he software was completely lacking compared to its
chief rival, which was bathed in quality games. It didn't matter that the Game Gear was more powerful. The color
screen did not reverse any fortunes. Content and innovation beat out technology, a formula that Nintendo is using
right now with the continued ascendance of the DS and Wii." Buchanan later went on to praise some parts of the
Game Gear's library, however, stating "Some of those Master System tweaks were very good games, and fun is
resilient against time." Retro Gamer praised Sega's accomplishment in surviving against the competition of Nintendo
in the handheld console market with the Game Gear, noting that "for all the handhelds that have gone up against the
might of Nintendo and ultimately lost out, Sega's Game Gear managed to last the longest, only outdone in sales by
Sega Game Gear
263
the Sony PSP. For its fans, it will remain a piece of classic gaming hardware whose legacy lives on forever."
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Gear.
Super A'Can
264
Super A'Can
Funtech Super A'can
Manufacturer Funtech
Generation Fourth generation (16-bit era)
Retail availability
October 25, 1995
Media Cartridge
CPU 16-bit Motorola 68000, 8-bit MOS 6502
The Super A'can is a console that was released exclusively in Taiwan in 1995 by Funtech. Inside is a Motorola
68000, also used in the Sega Genesis and Neo Geo. Twelve games have been confirmed to exist for the system.
CPU
The Super A'can uses a Motorola 68000 as its
main processor
Super A'Can
265
Hardware specifications
Processor Motorola 68000 clocked at 10 MHz
Secondary processor 8-bit MOS 6502, clocked at 3.58MHz
Graphics
Palette: 32,768 colors
Input and output
Control pad
inputs
Two DE-9M (9-pin male D-connectors) on front of console, identical to those of the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (though not
compatible with Genesis/Mega Drive control pads)
List of games
# Serial
number
Title AKA title(s) Developer(s) Genre Release
year
1 F008 African Adventures 1) Fizhu Tnxin
2) Monopoly: Adventure in Africa
Panda Entertainment Puzzle 1995
2 F006 C.U.G. 1) X Yuj
2) Journey to the Laugh
Funtech Platform 1995
3 F001 Formosa Duel F r M Sh D Duju AV Artisan Puzzle 1995
4 F002 Sango Fighter Snguzh Wjing Zhngb Panda Entertainment Fighting 1995
5 F003 The Son of Evil Xi' Zhz Funtech RPG 1995
6 F004 Speedy Dragon 1) Yns Filng
2) Sonic Dragon
AV Artisan Platform 1995
7 F005 Super Taiwanese Baseball
League
Choj Zhnghu Zh Bng
Linmng
Quan Wei Technology/C&E Sports 1995
8 F011 Boom Zoo 1) Bo Bo Dngwyun
2) Explosive Burst Zoo
Funtech Action 1996
9 F009 Gambling Lord D B Panda Entertainment/Funtech Mahjong 1996
10 F012 REBEL 1) Pn Xng
2) Rebel Star
Horng Shen Information Co.,
Ltd
RPG 1996
11 F007 Super Dragon Force 1) Choj Gungmng Zhn Sh
2) Super Light Saga: Dragon
Force
Kingformation Co., Ltd. RPG 1996
12 F010 Magical Pool M Bng Zhungqi Funtech Sports 199?
Super A'Can
266
External links
Fan site
[1]
(via archive.org)
Video Game Console Library page
[2]
References
[1] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080321202222/ http:/ / www. vanillaicemedia. com/ acan/ acan. htm
[2] http:/ / www. videogameconsolelibrary.com/ pg90-funtech. htm
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Top: North American SNES (circa 1991)
Bottom: Japanese Super Famicom
Other variations are pictured under Casing below
267
Release date
JP
November 21, 1990
NA
August 23, 1991
UK / IE April 11, 1992
EU June 6, 1992
AUS
July 3, 1992
Discontinued
JP
September 2003
NA
November 30, 1999Wikipedia:Citation needed
North & South America: 23.35 million
Other: 8.58 million
Media ROM cartridge
CPU 16-bit 65c816 Ricoh 5A22 3.58 MHz
Online services Satellaview (Japan only), XBAND, Nintendo Power (Japan Only)
Best-selling game
Super Mario World (pack-in)
(20.60 million)Wikipedia:Citation needed
Donkey Kong Country (pack-in), 9 million
[1]
Super Mario Kart (pack-in), 8 million
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (stand-alone), 6.3 million
Predecessor Nintendo Entertainment System
Successor Nintendo 64
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (also known as the Super NES, SNES
[2]
</ref> or Super Nintendo) is
a 16-bit video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America,
1992 in Europe and Australasia (Oceania), and South America in 1993. In Japan, the system is called the Super
Famicom ( Sp FamikonHelp:Installing Japanese character sets, officially
adopting the abbreviated name of its predecessor, the Family Computer), or SFC for short. In South Korea, it is
known as the Super Comboy ( ) and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics. Although each version is
essentially the same, several forms of regional lockout prevent the different versions from being compatible with one
another.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is Nintendo's second home console, following the Nintendo
Entertainment System (NES). The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other
consoles at the time. Additionally, development of a variety of enhancement chips (which were integrated on game
circuit boards) helped to keep it competitive in the marketplace.
The SNES was a global success, becoming the best-selling console of the 16-bit era despite its relatively late start
and the fierce competition it faced in North America and Europe from Sega's Genesis/Mega Drive console. The
SNES remained popular well into the 32-bit era, and continues to be popular among fans, collectors, retro gamers,
and emulation enthusiasts, some of whom are still making homebrew ROM images.
History
To compete with the popular NES/Famicom, NEC launched the TurboGrafx-16 in 1987, and Sega followed suit with
the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 1988. Both systems were built on 16-bit architectures and offered improved
graphics and sound over the 8-bit NES. However, it took several years for Sega's system to become successful.
[3]
Nintendo executives were in no rush to design a new system, but they reconsidered when they began to see their
dominance in the market slipping.
[4]
268
Launch
Designed by Masayuki Uemura, the designer of the original Famicom, the Super Famicom was released in Japan on
Wednesday, November 21, 1990 for 25,000 (US$210). It was an instant success; Nintendo's initial shipment of
300,000 units sold out within hours, and the resulting social disturbance led the Japanese government to ask video
game manufacturers to schedule future console releases on weekends.
[5]
The system's release also gained the
attention of the Yakuza, leading to a decision to ship the devices at night to avoid robbery.
[6]
With the Super Famicom quickly outselling its chief rivals, Nintendo reasserted itself as the leader of the Japanese
console market.
[7]
Nintendo's success was partially due to its retention of most of its key third-party developers from
its earlier system, including Capcom, Konami, Tecmo, Square, Koei, and Enix.
On August 23, 1991,
[]
Newspaper and magazine articles from late 1991 report that the first shipments were in stores
in some regions on August 23,
[8]
while it arrived in other regions at a later date.
[9]
Many modern online sources
(circa 2005 and later) report August 13.</ref> Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, a
redesigned version of the Super Famicom, in North America for US$199. The SNES was released in the United
Kingdom and Ireland in April 1992 for GB150, with a German release following a few weeks later. The PAL
region versions of the console use the Japanese Super Famicom design, except for labeling and the length of the
joypad leads. Both the NES and Super NES were released in Brazil in 1993 by Playtronic, a joint venture between
the toy company Estrela and consumer electronics company Gradiente.
The Super NES and Super Famicom launched with only a few games, but these games were well received in the
marketplace. In Japan, only two games were initially available: Super Mario World and F-Zero.
[10]
In North
America, Super Mario World shipped with the console, and other initial titles included F-Zero, Pilotwings (both of
which demonstrated the console's "Mode 7" pseudo-3D rendering capability), SimCity, and Gradius III.
Console wars
Main article: Console wars
The rivalry between Nintendo and Sega resulted in one of the fiercest console wars in video game history,
[11]
in
which Sega positioned the Genesis as the "cool" console, with more mature titles aimed at older gamers, and edgy
advertisements that occasionally attacked the competition.
[12]
Nintendo however, scored an early PR coup by
securing the first console conversion of Capcom's arcade classic Street Fighter II for Super NES, which took over a
year to make the transition to Genesis. Despite the Genesis' head start, much larger library of games, and lower price
point,
[13]
the Genesis only controlled an estimated 60% of the American 16-bit console market in June 1992, and
neither console could maintain a definitive lead for several years. Donkey Kong Country would pave the way for the
Super NES to win the waning years of the 16-bit generation,
[14]
and for a time, hold its own against the PlayStation
and Saturn. According to Nintendo, the Super NES had sold more than 20 million units in the U.S. According to a
2004 study of NPD sales data, the Sega Genesis was able to maintain its lead over the Super NES in the American
16-bit console market.
Changes in policy
During the NES era, Nintendo maintained exclusive control over titles released for the systemthe company had to
approve every game, each third-party developer could only release up to five games per year (but some third parties
got around this by using different names, for example Konami's "Ultra Games" brand), those games could not be
released on another console within two years, and Nintendo was the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of NES
cartridges. However, competition from Sega's console brought an end to this practice; in 1991, Acclaim began
releasing games for both platforms, with most of Nintendo's other licensees following suit over the next several
years; Capcom (which licensed some games to Sega instead of producing them directly) and Square were the most
notable holdouts.
[15]
269
The company continued to carefully review submitted titles, giving them scores using a 40-point scale and allocating
Nintendo's marketing resources accordingly. Each region performed separate evaluations. Nintendo of America also
maintained a policy that, among other things, limited the amount of violence in the games on its systems. One game,
Mortal Kombat, would challenge this policy. A surprise hit in arcades in 1992, Mortal Kombat features splashes of
blood and finishing moves that often depict one character dismembering the other. Because the Sega Genesis version
retained the gore while the SNES version did not, it outsold the SNES version by a ratio of three or four-to-one.
[16]
Game players were not the only ones to notice the violence in this game; US Senators Herb Kohl and Joe Lieberman
convened a Congressional hearing on December 9, 1993 to investigate the marketing of violent video games to
children.
[17]
While Nintendo took the high ground with moderate success, the hearings led to the creation of the
Interactive Digital Software Association and the Entertainment Software Rating Board, and the inclusion of ratings
on all video games. With these ratings in place, Nintendo decided its censorship policies were no longer needed.
32-bit era and beyond
While other companies were moving on to 32-bit systems, Rare and Nintendo proved that the Super NES was still a
strong contender in the market. In November 1994, Rare released Donkey Kong Country, a platform game featuring
3D models and textures pre-rendered on SGI workstations. With its detailed graphics, fluid animation and
high-quality music, Donkey Kong Country rivaled the aesthetic quality of games that were being released on newer
32-bit CD-based consoles. In the last 45 days of 1994, the game sold 6.1 million units, making it the fastest-selling
video game in history to that date. This game sent a message that early 32-bit systems had little to offer over the
Super NES, and helped make way for the more advanced consoles on the horizon.
[18]
In October 1997, Nintendo released a redesigned model of the SNES (the SNS-101 model) in North America for
US$99, which included the pack-in game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Like the earlier redesign of the NES
(the NES-101 model), the new model was slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, but it lacked S-Video and RGB
output, and it was among the last major SNES-related releases in the region. A similarly redesigned Super Famicom
Jr. was released in Japan at around the same time.
Nintendo ceased production of the SNES in 1999,Wikipedia:Citation needed about two years after releasing Kirby's
Dream Land 3 (its last first-party game for the system) on November 27, 1997, a year after releasing Frogger (its
last third-party game for the system). In Japan, Nintendo continued production of the Super Famicom until
September 2003, and new games were produced until the year 2000, ending with the release of Metal Slader Glory
Director's Cut on December 1, 2000.
Many popular SNES titles have since been ported to the Game Boy Advance, which has similar video capabilities. In
2005, Nintendo announced that SNES titles would be made available for download via the Wii and Wii U's Virtual
Console service. In 2007, Nintendo of Japan announced that it would no longer repair Family Computer or Super
Famicom systems due to an increasing shortage of the necessary parts.
Main article: Super Nintendo Entertainment System technical specifications
The 16-bit design of the Super NES incorporates powerful graphics and sound co-processors that allow tiling and
simulated 3D effects, a palette of 32,768 colors, and high-quality 8-channel audio. These base platform features, plus
the ability to dramatically extend them all through substantial chip upgrades inside of each cartridge, represent a leap
over the 8-bit NES generation and some significant advantages over the competition such as the Sega Genesis.
270
Central processing unit
CPU reference
Processor Ricoh 5A22, based on a 16-bit 65c816 core
Clock rates (NTSC) Input:21.47727MHz
Bus:3.58MHz, 2.68MHz, or 1.79MHz
Clock rates (PAL) Input:21.28137MHz
Bus:3.55MHz, 2.66MHz, or 1.77MHz
Buses 24-bit and 8-bit address buses, 8-bit data bus
Additional features DMA and HDMA
Timed IRQ
Parallel I/O processing
Hardware multiplication and division
The CPU is a Nintendo-custom 5A22 processor, based on a 16-bit 65c816 core. The CPU employs a variable bus
speed depending on the memory region being accessed for each instruction cycle: the input clock is divided by 6, 8,
or 12 to obtain the bus clock rate. Non-access cycles, most register accesses, and some general accesses use the
divisor of 6. WRAM accesses and other general accesses use the divisor of 8. Only the controller port serial-access
registers use the divisor of 12.Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
The chip has an 8-bit data bus, controlled by two address buses. The 24-bit "BusA" is used for general accesses,
while the 8-bit "BusB" is used for support chip registers (mainly the video and audio processors). Normally only one
bus is used at a time; however, the built-in direct memory access (DMA) unit places a read signal on one bus and a
write signal on the other to achieve block transfer speeds of up to 2.68MB/s.
[19]
Wikipedia:Identifying reliable
sources
The DMA unit has 8 independent channels, each of which can be used in two modes. General DMA transfers up to
64kB
[20]
in one shot, while H-blank DMA (HDMA) transfers 14 bytes at the end of each video scanline. HDMA is
typically used to change video parameters to achieve effects such as perspective, split-screen, and non-rectangular
windowing without tying up the main CPU.
The 5A22 also contains an 8-bit parallel I/O port (which was mostly unused in the SNES); controller port interface
circuits, including both serial and parallel access to controller data; a 16-bit multiplication and division unit; and
circuitry for generating non-maskable interrupts on V-blank and IRQ interrupts on calculated screen positions.
Video
Video reference
Resolutions Progressive: 256224, 512224, 256239, 512239
Interlaced: 512448, 512478
Pixel depth 2, 4, 7, or 8 bpp indexed; 8 or 11 bpp direct
Total colors 32768 (15-bit)
Sprites 128, 32 max per line; up to 6464 pixels
Backgrounds Up to 4 planes; each up to 10241024 pixels
Effects Pixelization (mosaic) per background
Color addition and subtraction
Clipping windows (per background, affecting color, math, or both)
Scrolling per 88 tile
Mode7 matrix operations
271
The graphics processing unit (GPU) consists of two separate but closely tied IC packages, which may be considered
as a single entity. It also contains 64kB of SRAM for storing video data (VRAM), 544 bytes of object attribute
memory (OAM) for storing sprite data, and 25615 bits of color generator RAM (CGRAM) for storing palette data.
The GPU is clocked by the same signal as the CPU, and generates a pixel every two or four cycles. Both NTSC and
PAL systems use the same GPU chips, with one pin per chip selecting NTSC or PAL operation.
Images may be output at 256 or 512 pixels horizontal resolution and 224, 239, 448, or 478 pixels vertically. Vertical
resolutions of 224 or 239 are usually output in progressive scan, while 448 and 478 resolutions are interlaced. Colors
are chosen from the 15-bit RGB color space, for a total of 32,768 possible colors. Graphics consist of up to 128
sprites and up to 4 background layers, all made up of combinations of 88 pixel tiles. Most graphics use palettes
stored in CGRAM, with color 0 of any palette representing transparency.
Sprites can be 88, 1616, 3232, or 6464 pixels, each using one of eight 16-color palettes and tiles from one
of two blocks of 256 in VRAM. Sprites may be flipped horizontally and vertically as a whole. Up to 32 sprites and
34 88 sprite tiles may appear on any one line; excess sprites or tiles would be dropped. Each sprite lies on one of 4
planes, however a lower-numbered sprite will always cover a higher-numbered sprite even if the latter is on a higher
priority plane. This quirk is often used for complex clipping effects.
Background layers in most modes range from 3232 to 128128 tiles, with each tile on one of two planes
("foreground" and "background") and using one of 8 palettes. Tiles are taken from a per-layer set of up to 1024 (as
VRAM permits) and can be flipped horizontally and vertically. Each layer may be scrolled both horizontally and
vertically. The number of background layers and the size of the palettes depends on the mode:
Mode0: 4layers, all using 4-color palettes. Each BG uses its own section of the SNES palette.
Mode1: 3layers, two using 16-color palettes and one using 4-color palettes.
Mode2: 2layers, both using 16-color palettes. Each tile can be individually scrolled.
Mode3: 2layers, one using the full 256-color palette and one using 16-color palettes. The 256-color layer can
also directly specify colors from an 11-bit (RGB443) colorspace.
Mode4: 2layers, one using the full 256-color palette and one using 4-color palettes. The 256-color layer can
directly specify colors, and each tile can be individually scrolled.
Mode5: 2layers, one using 16-color palettes and one using 4-color palettes. Tile decoding is altered to facilitate
use of the 512-width and interlaced resolutions.
Mode6: 1layer, using 16-color palettes. Tile decoding is as in Mode5, and each tile can be individually scrolled.
A test image demonstrating the SNES's Mode7
capability
Mode7: 1layer of 128128 tiles from a set of 256, which may be
interpreted as a 256-color one-plane layer or a 128-color two-plane
layer. The layer may be rotated and scaled using matrix
transformations. HDMA is often used to change the matrix
parameters for each scanline to generate perspective effects.
Background layers may be individually pixelized, and layers and
sprites can be individually clipped and combined by color addition or
subtraction to generate more complex effects and greater color depths
than can be specified directly.
The GPU may be instructed to latch the current pixel position at any
time during image output, both by game software and by the device
attached to controller port2. The game software may then read back
this latched position. The GPU may also be used for fast 16-bit by 8-bit signed multiplication.
272
Audio
Audio reference
Processors Sony SPC700, Sony DSP
Clock rates Input:24.576MHz
SPC700:1.024MHz
Format ADPCM, 8 channels
Output 32kHz 16-bit stereo
Effects ADSR envelope control
Frequency scaling and modulation using Gaussian interpolation
Echo: 8-tap FIR filter, with up to .24s delay
Noise generation
The audio subsystem consists of an 8-bit Sony SPC700, a 16-bit DSP, 64kB of SRAM shared by the two chips, and
a 64byte boot ROM. The audio subsystem is almost completely independent from the rest of the system: it is
clocked at a nominal 24.576MHz in both NTSC and PAL systems, and can only communicate with the CPU via 4
registers on BusB.Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sourcesWikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
RAM is accessed at 3.072MHz, with accesses multiplexed between the SPC700 (
1
3
) and the DSP (
2
3
). This RAM is
used to store the SPC700 program and stack, the audio sample data and pointer table, and the DSP's echo buffer.
The SPC700 runs programs (uploaded using the boot ROM program) to accept instructions and data from the CPU
and to manipulate the DSP registers to generate the appropriate music and sound effects. The DSP generates a 16-bit
waveform at 32kHz by mixing input from 8 independent voices and an 8-tap FIR filter typically used for
reverberation. Each voice can play its sample at a variable rate, with Gaussian interpolation, stereo panning, and
ADSR, linear, non-linear, or direct volume envelope adjustment. The voice and FIR filter outputs are mixed both for
direct output and for future input into the FIR filter. All audio samples are compressed using ADPCM and a linear
predictive coding, a method dubbed BRR.
Hardware on the cartridge, expansion port, or both can provide stereo audio data for mixing into the DSP's analog
audio output before it leaves the console.
Since the audio subsystem is mostly self-contained, the state of the audio subsystem can be connected to, or
emulated on, a host computer. Its output may be saved as an SPC700 sound format (.SPC) file, or the audio
subsystem can be emulated in a stand-alone manner to play back all game music except for a few games that
constantly stream their samples from ROM. Custom cartridges or PC interfaces can be used to load and play .SPC
files onto a real SNES SPC700 and DSP.
Onboard RAM
273
Memory reference
MainRAM 128kB
VideoRAM 64kB mainRAM
512+32bytes
spriteRAM
25615bits paletteRAM
AudioRAM 64kB
The console contains 128kB of DRAM. This is mapped to various segments of BusA, and can also be accessed in a
serial fashion via registers on BusB. The video and audio subsystems contain additional RAM reserved for use by
those processors.
Regional lockout
Nintendo employed several types of regional lockout, including both physical and hardware incompatibilities.
A cartridge shape comparison
Top: North American design
Bottom: Japanese and PAL region design.The
bottom cartridge also illustrates the optional pins
used by enhancement chips such as the Super FX
3D chip.
On a physical level, the cartridges are shaped differently for different
regions. North American cartridges have a rectangular bottom with
inset grooves matching protruding tabs in the console, while other
regions' cartridges are narrower with a smooth curve on the front and
no grooves. The physical incompatibility can be overcome with use of
various adapters, or through modification of the
console.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Internally, a regional lockout chip (CIC) within the console and in each
cartridge prevents PAL region games from being played on Japanese
or North American consoles and vice versa. The Japanese and North
American machines have the same region chip. The console CIC
releases the reset signal to the rest of the system only after completing
a handshake with the chip in the cartridge.Wikipedia:Citation needed This can be overcome through the use of
adapters, typically by inserting the imported cartridge in one slot and a cartridge with the correct region chip in a
second slot. Alternatively, disconnecting one pin of the console's lockout chip will prevent it from locking the
console; hardware in later games can detect this situation, so it later became common to install a switch to reconnect
the lockout chip as needed.
PAL consoles face another incompatibility when playing out-of-region cartridges: the NTSC video standard specifies
video at 60Hz while PAL operates at 50Hz, resulting in approximately 16.7% slower gameplay. Additionally,
PAL's higher resolution results in letterboxing of the output image. Some commercial PAL region releases exhibit
this same problem and therefore can be played in NTSC systems without issue, while others will face a 20% speedup
if played in an NTSC console. To mostly correct this issue, a switch can be added to place the SNES PPU into a
60Hz mode supported by most newer PAL televisions. Later games will detect this setting and refuse to run,
requiring the switch to be thrown only after the check completes.
274
Casing
Original Japanese version
(19901998)
Original North American
version
(19911997)
Original PAL version
(19921998)
Super Famicom Jr.
(19982003)
North American
redesign(19971999)
All versions of the SNES are predominantly gray, although the exact shade may differ. The original North American
version, designed by Nintendo of America industrial designer Lance Barr (who previously redesigned the Famicom
to become the NES), has a boxy design with purple sliding switches and a dark gray eject lever. The loading bay
surface is curved, both to invite interaction and to prevent food or drinks from being placed on the console and
spilling as had happened with the flat surfaced NES. The Japanese and European versions are more rounded, with
darker gray accents and buttons. The North American SNS-101 model and the Japanese Super Famicom Jr. (the
SHVC-101 model), all designed by Barr, are both smaller with a rounded contour; however, the SNS-101 buttons are
purple where the Super Famicom Jr. buttons are gray. The European and American versions of the SNES controllers
have much longer cables compared to the Japanese Super Famicom controllers.
All versions incorporate a top-loading slot for game cartridges, although the shape of the slot differs between regions
to match the different shapes of the cartridges. The card-edge connector has 62 contacts; however, many cartridges
only connect to the middle 46. All versions also incorporate two 7-pin controller ports on the front of the unit, and a
plug for a power supply and a Nintendo-proprietary "MULTI OUT" A/V connector on the
back.Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources The MULTI OUT connector (later used on the Nintendo 64 and
GameCube) can output composite video, S-Video and RGB signals, as well as RF with an external RF
modulator.Wikipedia:Citation needed Original versions additionally include a 28-pin expansion port under a small
cover on the bottom of the unit and a standard RF output with channel selection switch on the back; the redesigned
models output composite video only, requiring an external modulator for RF.
Yellowing of console plastic
The ABS plastic used in the casing of some older SNES and Super
Famicom consoles is particularly susceptible to oxidization on
exposure to air, likely due to an incorrect mixture of the stabilizing or
flame retarding additives. This, along with the particularly light color
of the original plastic, causes affected consoles to quickly become
yellow; if the sections of the casing came from different batches of
plastic, a "two-tone" effect results.
Game cartridge
The cartridge media of the console is officially referred to as Game
Pak in most Western regions, and as Cassette ( KasettoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) in
Japan and parts of Latin America. While the SNES can address 128Mbit, only 117.75Mbit are actually available for
cartridge use. A fairly normal mapping could easily address up to 95Mbit of ROM data (48Mbit at FastROM speed)
with 8Mbit of battery-backed RAM. However, most available memory access controllers only support mappings of
275
up to 32Mbit. The largest games released (Tales of Phantasia and Star Ocean) contain 48Mbit of ROM data, while
the smallest games contain only 2Mbit.
Cartridges may also contain battery-backed SRAM to save the game state, extra working RAM, custom
coprocessors, or any other hardware that will not exceed the maximum current rating of the console.
Peripherals
Top: Japanese Super Famicom controller, bottom:
North American SNES controller
The standard SNES controller adds two additional face buttons (X and
Y) to the design of the NES iteration, arranging the four in a diamond
shape, and introduces two shoulder buttons. The inclusion of six active
buttons was made with the popularity of the Street Fighter arcade
series in mind. It also features an ergonomic design by Lance Barr,
later used for the NES-102 model controllers, also designed by Barr.
The Japanese and PAL region versions incorporate the system's logo in
the colors of the four action buttons, while the North American version
colors them lavender and purple to match the redesigned console and
gives the lighter two a concave rather than convex top. Several later
consoles derive elements of their controller design from the SNES,
including the PlayStation, Dreamcast, Xbox, and Wii Classic
Controller.
Throughout the course of its life, a number of peripherals were
released which added to the functionality of the SNES. Many of these devices were modeled after earlier add-ons for
the NES: the Super Scope is a light gun functionally similar to the NES Zapper (though the Super Scope features
wireless capabilities) and the Super Advantage is an arcade-style joystick with adjustable turbo settings akin to the
NES Advantage. Nintendo also released the SNES Mouse in conjunction with its Mario Paint title. Hudson Soft,
under license from Nintendo, released the Super Multitap, a multiplayer adapter for use with its popular series of
Bomberman games. Some of the more unusual controllers include the one-handed ASCII Stick L5, the BatterUP
baseball bat, and the TeeV Golf golf club.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The Super Game Boy allowed Game Boy games
to be played on the SNES
While Nintendo never released an adapter for playing NES games on
the SNES (though the instructions included a way to connect both
consoles to the same TV by either daisy chaining the RF switches or
using AV outputs for one or both systems), the Super Game Boy
adapter cartridge allows games designed for Nintendo's portable Game
Boy system to be played on the SNES. The Super Game Boy touted
several feature enhancements over the Game Boy, including palette
substitution, custom screen borders, and (for specially enhanced
games) access to the SNES console.Wikipedia:Citation needed Japan
also saw the release of the Super Game Boy 2, which added a
communication port to enable a second Game Boy to connect for
multiplayer games.
Like the NES before it, the SNES saw its fair share of unlicensed
third-party peripherals, including a new version of the Game Genie
cheat cartridge designed for use with SNES games. In general, Nintendo proved to be somewhat more tolerant of
unlicensed SNES peripherals than they had been with NES peripherals.
Soon after the release of the SNES, companies began marketing backup devices such as the Super Wildcard, Super
Pro Fighter Q, and Game Doctor. These devices were sold to create a backup of a cartridge, in the event that it would
276
break. However, they could also be used to play copied ROM images that could be downloaded from BBSes and the
Internet, or to create copies of rented video games, often violating copyright laws in many jurisdictions.
Satellaview with Super Famicom.
Japan saw the release of the Satellaview, a modem which attached to
the Super Famicom's expansion port and connected to the St.GIGA
satellite radio station. Users of the Satellaview could download gaming
news and specially designed games, which were frequently either
remakes of or sequels to older Famicom titles, released in installments.
Satellaview signals were broadcast from April 23, 1995 through June
30, 2000. In the United States, the similar but relatively short-lived
XBAND allowed users to connect to a network via a dial-up modem to
compete against other players around the country.
During the SNES's life, Nintendo contracted with two different
companies to develop a CD-ROM-based peripheral for the console to
compete with Sega's CD-ROM based addon, Mega-CD. Ultimately,
deals with both Sony and Philips fell through, (although a prototype
console was produced by Sony) with Philips gaining the right to release a series of titles based on Nintendo
franchises for its CD-i multimedia player and Sony going on to develop its own console based on its initial dealings
with Nintendo (the PlayStation).
Enhancement chips
Main article: List of Super NES enhancement chips
Star Fox, the first game to utilize the Super FX
chip, as shown with the polygonal models that
compose a large portion of the game's graphics
As part of the overall plan for the SNES, rather than include an
expensive CPU that would still become obsolete in a few years, the
hardware designers made it easy to interface special coprocessor chips
to the console (just like the MMC chips used for most NES games).
This is most often characterized by 16 additional pins on the cartridge
card edge.Wikipedia:Identifying reliable
sourcesWikipedia:Verifiability
The Super FX is a RISC CPU designed to perform functions that the
main CPU could not feasibly do. The chip was primarily used to create
3D game worlds made with polygons, texture mapping and light source
shading. The chip could also be used to enhance 2D games.
The Nintendo fixed-point digital signal processor (DSP) chip allowed
for fast vector-based calculations, bitmap conversions, both 2D and 3D
coordinate transformations, and other functions.
[21]
Four revisions of the chip exist, each physically identical but
with different microcode. The DSP-1 version, including the later 1A and 1B bug fix revisions, was used most often;
the DSP-2, DSP-3, and DSP-4 were used in only one title each.
Similar to the 5A22 CPU in the console, the SA-1 chip contains a 65c816 processor core clocked at 10MHz, a
memory mapper, DMA, decompression and bitplane conversion circuitry, several programmable timers, and CIC
region lockout functionality.
In Japan, games could be downloaded for a fee from Nintendo Power kiosks onto special cartridges containing flash
memory and a MegaChips MX15001TFC chip. The chip managed communication with the kiosks to download
ROM images, and provided an initial menu to select which of the downloaded games would be played. Some titles
were available both in cartridge and download form, while others were download only. The service was closed on
February 8, 2007.
277
Many cartridges contain other enhancement chips, most of which were created for use by a single company in a few
titles; the only limitations are the speed of the Super NES itself to transfer data from the chip and the current limit of
the console.
Emulation
See also: List of SNES emulators
Hardware emulation of the SNES is available
from a variety of clone systems like this Retro
Duo Portable.
Like the NES before it, the SNES has retained interest among its fans
even following its decline in the marketplace. It has continued to thrive
on the second-hand market and through console emulation. The SNES
has taken much the same revival path as the NES (see History of the
Nintendo Entertainment System).
Emulation projects began with the initial release of VSMC in 1994,
and Super Pasofami became the first working SNES emulator in
1996.Wikipedia:Citation needed During that time, two competing
emulation projectsSnes96 and Snes97merged to form a new
initiative entitled Snes9x.
[]
In 1997, SNES enthusiasts began
programming an emulator named ZSNES. These two have remained
among the best-known SNES emulators, although development
continues on others as well. In 2003, members of both the Snes9x and ZSNES teams and others began a push for
exact emulation;
[22]
this movement is now led by the development of higan by a developer named byuu.
Nintendo of America took the same stance against the distribution of SNES ROM image files and the use of
emulators as it did with the NES, insisting that they represented flagrant software piracy. Proponents of SNES
emulation cite discontinued production of the SNES constituting abandonware status, the right of the owner of the
respective game to make a personal backup via devices such as the Retrode, space shifting for private use, the desire
to develop homebrew games for the system, the frailty of SNES ROM cartridges and consoles, and the lack of
certain foreign imports.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The SNES was one of the first systems to attract the attention of amateur fan translators: Final Fantasy V was the
first major work of fan translation, and was completed in 1998.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Emulation of the SNES is now available on handheld units, such as Android devices, Apple's iPhone and iPad,
Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP),
[23]
the Nintendo DS
[24]
and Game Boy Advance,
[25]
the Gizmondo,
[26]
the
Dingoo and the GP2X by GamePark Holdings,
[27]
as well as PDAs.
[28]
While individual games have been included
with emulators on some GameCube discs, Nintendo's Virtual Console service for the Wii marks the introduction of
officially sanctioned general SNES emulation, though SNES9x GX, a port of SNES9x, has been made for the Wii.
Legacy
49.10million Super NES units were sold worldwide, with 23.35million of those units sold in the Americas and
17.17million in Japan. Although it could not quite repeat the success of the NES, which sold 61.91million units
worldwide, the Super NES was the best-selling console of its era.
In 2007, GameTrailers named the Super NES as the second-best console of all time in their list of top ten consoles
that "left their mark on the history of gaming", citing its graphic, sound, and library of top-quality games.
Technology columnist Don Reisinger proclaimed "The SNES is the greatest console of all time" in January 2008,
citing the quality of the games and the console's drastic improvement over its predecessor; fellow technology
columnist Will Greenwald replied with a more nuanced view, giving the SNES top marks with his heart, the NES
with his head, and the PlayStation (for its controller) with his hands. GamingExcellence also gave the SNES first
place in 2008, declaring it "simply the most timeless system ever created" with many games that stand the test of
278
time and citing its innovation in controller design, graphics capabilities, and game storytelling. At the same time,
GameDaily rated it fifth of ten for its graphics, audio, controllers, and games. In 2009, IGN named the Super
Nintendo Entertainment System the fourth best video game console, complimenting its audio and "concentration of
AAA titles".
Footnotes
[1] [1] Kent (2001), p. 497. "By the end of the 16-bit generation, Nintendo would go on to sell 9 million copies of Donkey Kong Country"
[2] The acronym SNES can be pronounced by English speakers as a single word (compare "NATO") with various pronunciations, a string of
letters (compare "IBM"), or as a hybrid (compare "JPEG"); some even claim SNES should be pronounced "Super Nintendo" or "Super NES".
In written English, the choice of indefinite article can be problematic due to these differences in pronunciation.<ref> Additional archived
pages: 2 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4MlYjSy) 3 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4Mm8Ee5) 4 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/
5S4MmYPog) 5 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4MnGTYh) 6 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4Mni9y1) 7 (http:/ / www. webcitation.
org/ 5S4Mo7mOX) 8 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4MoS63U) 9 (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5S4MoqqtM) 10 (http:/ / www.
webcitation.org/ 5S4MpGQEN)
[3] Sheff (1993), pp. 353356. "The Genesis continued to flounder through its first couple of years on the market, although Sega showed
Sisyphean resolve.... [By mid-1991] Sega had established itself as the market leader of the next generation."
[4] Kent (2001), pp. 413414.
[5] Kent (2001), pp. 422431.
[6] Sheff (1993), pp. 360361.
[7] Kent (2001), pp. 431433. "Japan remained loyal to Nintendo, ignoring both Sega's Mega-Drive and NEC's PC Engine (the Japanese name
for TurboGrafx).... Unlike the Japanese launch in which Super Famicom had outsold both competitors combined in presales alone, Super NES
would debut against an established product."
[8] [8] Based on the publication date, the "Friday" mentioned would be August 23, 1991.
[9] [9] Based on the publication date, the "Friday" mentioned would be August 23, 1991.
[10] [10] Sheff (1993), p. 361.
[11] Kent (2001), p. 431. "Sonic was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for Super NES to arrive now decided
to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the history of video games was about to begin."
[12] Kent (2001), pp. 448449.
[13] [13] Kent (2001), p. 433.
[14] Kent (2001), p. 496-497. "The late November release of Donkey Kong Country stood in stark contrast to the gloom and doom faced by the
rest of the video game industry. After three holiday seasons of coming in second to Sega, Nintendo had the biggest game of the year. Sega still
outperformed Nintendo in overall holiday sales, but the 500,000 copies of Donkey Kong Country that Nintendo sent out in its initial shipment
were mostly sold in preorder, and the rest sold out in less than one week. It (Donkey Kong Country) established the Super NES as the better
16-bit console and paved the way for Nintendo to win the waning years of the 16-bit generation."
[15] Kent (2001), pp. 308, 372, 440441.
[16] Kent (2001), pp. 461480. "nearly three to one".
[17] While some contend that Nintendo orchestrated the Congressional hearings of 1993, Senator Lieberman and NOA's Senior Vice President
(later Chairman) Howard Lincoln both refute these allegations.
[18] Kent (2001), pp. 491493, 496497.
[19] This quantity uses the standard decimal meaning of megabyte: 1,000,000 bytes.
[20] Unless otherwise specified, kilobyte (kB), megabyte (MB), and megabit (Mbit) are used in the binary sense in this article, referring to
quantities of 1024 or 1,048,576.
[21] [21] Refer to the command summaries for all four DSP versions.
[22] [22] As opposed to emulation "good enough" for most purposes, exact emulation facilitates the use of the emulator for homebrew game
development and documents the operation of the hardware against such time as all existing consoles cease functioning.
[23] [23] Emulators listed include Ruka's Unofficial Snes9xTYL, Snes9x PSP, Snes9x Optimised, SnesPSP_TYL, UoSnesPSP_TYL, UoSnes9x PSP,
and UoSnes9x PD.
[24] [24] Emulators listed include SnesDS, SNEmulDS, and SnezziDS
[25] [25] Emulators listed include Snes Advance, Snes Advance Hacks, Snes Advance SnesPad Version, and Snezziboy.
[26] [26] Emulators listed include GizSnes.
[27] [27] Emulators listed include PocketSnes, SnesGP2X, SquidgeSnes, and SquidgeSnes Hack.
[28] Emulators listed include MorphGear, Snes9xJ4u, Snes9xPPC, and many forks of PocketSNES.
279
Citations
References
Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our
Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing. ISBN0-7615-3643-4.
Sheff, David (1993). Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and
Enslaved Your Children (First ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN0-679-40469-4.
External links
Media related to Super Famicom and variants at Wikimedia Commons
Super NES Programming at Wikibooks
SNES games list (https:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070325003029/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ doc/
snes_games.pdf) at the Wayback Machine (archived March 25, 2007), archived from Nintendo.com.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/
Nintendo/ SNES) at DMOZ
SuperGrafx
280
SuperGrafx
PC Engine SuperGrafx
PC Engine SuperGrafx system
Manufacturer NEC
Retail availability
JP
November 1989
Media HuCard, CD-ROM
CPU Hudson Soft HuC6280
Best-selling game DaimakaimuraWikipedia:Citation needed
Predecessor PC Engine (main system)
Successor PC Engine Duo (updated system)
The PC Engine SuperGrafx (PC P Sh Enjin
SpGurafikkusuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), sometimes abbreviated as SuperGrafx (
SpGurafikkusuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a video game console by NEC. It is
an upgraded version of the PC Engine, released exclusively in Japan, primarily in response to the Super Famicom
from Nintendo.
Originally announced as the PC Engine 2 (PC 2 P Sh Enjin TsHelp:Installing Japanese character
sets), the machine was purported to be a true 16-bit system with improved graphics and audio capabilities over the
original PC Engine. Expected to be released in 1990, the SuperGrafx was rushed to market, debuting several months
earlier in late 1989 with only modest improvements over the original PC Engine.
Only seven games were produced which took advantage of the improved SuperGrafx hardware,
[1]
and two of those
could be played on a regular PC Engine. However, the SuperGrafx is backwards compatible with all PC Engine and
PC Engine CD-ROM games, bringing the compatible software total up to nearly 700. The system was not widely
adopted and is largely seen as a commercial failure.
SuperGrafx
281
Hardware
Compared to the PC Engine, the SuperGrafx has four times the amount of working RAM for the main CPU and a
second video chip with its own video RAM. Also included is a priority controller chip, which allows the output of
both video chips to be combined in various waysWikipedia:Citation needed. The SuperGrafx has support for two
independently scrolling background layers, like the Mega Drive, as opposed to the PC Engine's single layer.
It is a very common misconception
[2]
that the extra video hardware capabilities were taxing on the system's CPU,
and is often cited as the main reason few games were developed for the system. In reality, despite having the same
CPU as the PC Engine, the SuperGrafx is more than capable of keeping up with the new graphics enhancements, as
the majority of the workload is handled by the VDPs.
SuperGrafx with Super CD Rom
One accessory of note was the "Power Console",
designed to add a full flight yoke, throttle and keypad
to the SuperGrafx, sliding over the entire console.
Besides a prototype, no Power Consoles were ever
produced.
There were no CD-ROM, Super CD-ROM, or Arcade
CD-ROM games written that took advantage of the
SuperGrafx platform. Game software was also very
expensive, in some cases approaching as much as $110
USD at retail. The system is backwards compatible
with the PC Engine's library, bringing the combined
total of games to nearly 700.
CPU: 8-bit HuC6280A, a modified 65SC02 running at 1.79, or 7.16MHz (switchable by software). Features
integrated bankswitching hardware (driving a 21-bit external address bus from a 6502-compatible 16-bit address
bus), an integrated general-purpose I/O port, a timer, block transfer instructions, and dedicated move instructions
for communicating with the HuC6270A VDC.
GPU: A multiple graphics processor setup. One 16-bit HuC6260 Video Color Encoder (VCE), two 16-bit
HuC6270A Video Display Controllers (VDCs), and one HuC6202 Video Priority Controller. The HuC6270A
featured Port-based I/O similar to the TMS99xx VDP family.
Display
Resolution
X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 565 (programmable to 282, 377 or 565 pixels, or as
5.37mhz, 7.159mhz, and 10.76mhz pixel dot clock)
[3]
Taking into consideration overscan limitations of CRT
televisions at the time, the horizontal resolutions were realistically limited to something a bit less than what the
system was actually capable of. Consequently, most game developers limited their games to either 256, 336, or
512 pixels in display width for each of the three modes.
[4]
Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline)
Color
Depth: 9-bit
Colors available: 512
Colors onscreen: 482 (241 background, 241 sprite)
SuperGrafx
282
Palettes: 32 (16 for background tiles, 16 for sprites)
Colors per palette: 16
Sprites
Simultaneously displayable: 128
Sizes: 1616, 1632, 1664, 3216, 3232, 3264
Palette: Each sprite can use up to 15 unique colors (one color must be reserved as transparent) via one of the 16
available sprite palettes.
Layers: The dual HuC6270A VDCs are capable of displaying 2 sprite layers (1 each). Sprites could be placed
either in front of or behind background tiles. Each layer can display 16 sprites or 256 sprite pixels per scanline,
giving the combined sprite per scanline limit of 32 sprites or 512 sprite pixels.
Tiles
Size: 88
Palette: Each background tile can use up to 16 unique colors via one of the 16 available background palettes.
The first color entry of each background palette must be the same across all background palettes.
Layers: The dual HuC6270A VDCs were capable of displaying 2 background layers (1 each).
Memory
Work RAM: 32KB
Video RAM: 128KB (64KB per HuC6270A VDC)
Audio Capacity
Six Wavetable Synthesis audio channels, programmable through the HuC6280A CPU.
Each channel had a frequency of 111.87kHz for single cycle of 32 samples (while not in D/A mode) with a bit
depth of 5 bits. Each channel also was allotted 20 bytes (325 bits) of RAM for sample data.
The waveforms were programmable so the composers were not limited to the standard selection of waveforms
(square, sine, sawtooth, triangle, etc.). But the use of standard waveforms, and semi-standard forms, such as a
25% pulse wave were used fairly often.
The first two audio channels (1 and 2) were capable of LFO when channel #2 was used to modulate channel #1.
In theory, this could also be used to perform an FM operation, though due to other limitations, this was never
done (note: LFO, like FM works by modifying an audible waveform (carrier oscillator) with an inaudible
waveform (modulator oscillator), but LFO's modulator is subsonic rather than sonic (FM), so LFO will not change
the carrier's timbre, just its behavior, and as a result, LFO does not really sound anything like FM.)
The final two audio channels (5 and 6) were capable of Noise generation.
Optional software enabled Direct D/A which allows for sampled sound to be streamed into any of the six PSG
audio channels. When a channel is in D/A mode the frequency is as fast as the CPU can stream bytes to the port,
though in practicality it is limited to 6.99kHz when using the TIMER interrupt with its smallest loop setting
(1023 cpu cycles) or 15.7kHz using the scanline interrupt.
There is a method that combines two channels in DDA mode to play back 8-bit, 9-bit, or 10-bit samples.
The addition of the CD-ROM peripheral adds CD-DA sound, and a single ADPCM channel to the existing sound
capabilities of the PC Engine.
Sound system is often mistakenly called PSG, but this is incorrect. It is Wavetable Synthesis. The fairly common
use of standard and semi-standard waveforms is the most likely source of the confusion. But PSG and Wavetable
do not generate sound the same way. So, even when they're both making exactly the same tone, there's still
something completely different going on "under the hood." The only point at which the term PSG may ever be
appropriately used when applied to this sound system is in the ability to use white noise on channels 5 and 6.
SuperGrafx
283
Game Media
HuCard: A thin, card-like game media. The largest Japanese HuCard games were up to 20Mbit in size. In addition
to its own HuCard games, the SuperGrafx was backward compatible with all PC Engine HuCard games. The
labels on SuperGrafx HuCards were upside-down relative to PC Engine HuCards; A PC Engine HuCard will read
upside down on a SuperGrafx, while its own are right-side-up.
CD: The SuperGrafx was compatible with the PC Engine Super CD-ROM unit, and could play all PC Engine CD
games with it attached. There were no CDs produced specifically for the SuperGrafx.
Input/Output
HuCard cartridge connector.
EXT-BUS expansion connector. (for CD-ROM, Tennokoe 2, RAU-30, etc.)
Standard mini-DIN gamepad connector.
Enhanced I/O port with 8 output and 4 input pins.
5-pin DIN A/V connector with composite video and stereo audio output only.
Power adapter jack.
Compatibility mode (PC-Engine or SuperGrafx) switch on back of unit.
The enhanced I/O port was designed for a multiple-input perhipheral that was shown in several game magazines
but never released commercially.
Peripherals
RAU-30 adapter Connects SuperGrafx to IFU-30 CD-ROM interface tray, as the SuperGrafx won't fit due to its
unusual shape.
Game Catalog
System Specific
All SuperGrafx releases were on SHuCard format.
1941: Counter Attack
Aldynes
Battle Ace
Daimakaimura
Mad King Granzort
SuperGrafx
284
Backwards Compatible with PC Engine
Darius Alpha - Improved graphics when played on SuperGrafxWikipedia:Disputed statement
Darius Plus - Improved graphics when played on SuperGrafx
Unreleased
Galaxy Force II (unreleased prototype)
References
[1] http:/ / www. defunctgames. com/ shows.php?id=review-619
[2] http:/ / nfggames. com/ games/ pce/
[3] Forums.MagicEngine.com (http:/ / forums.magicengine. com/ en/ viewtopic. php?t=1798)
[4] pcenginefx.com forum (http:/ / www. pcenginefx.com/ forums/ index. php?topic=6601. msg110493#msg110493)
External links
pcenginefx (http:/ / www. pcenginefx. com/ ) - Enthusiast-run site for NEC video game consoles.
Tandy Memorex Visual Information System (VIS) was an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM player produced by
the Tandy Corporation starting in 1992. It was similar in function to the Philips CD-i and Commodore CDTV
systems (particularly the CDTV, since both the VIS and CDTV were adaptations of existing computer platforms and
operating systems to the set-top-box design). The VIS systems were sold only at Radio Shack, under the Memorex
brand, both of which Tandy owned at the time.
Modular Windows
Modular Windows is a special version of Microsoft Windows 3.1, designed to run on the Tandy Video Information
System. Microsoft intended Modular Windows to be an embedded operating system for various devices, especially
those designed to be connected to televisions. However, the VIS is the only known product that actually used this
Windows version. It has been claimed that Microsoft created a new, incompatible version of Modular Windows
("1.1") shortly after the VIS shippedWikipedia:Citation needed. No products are known to have actually used
Modular Windows 1.1.
Spinoffs
While Modular Windows was discontinued, other modular, embedded versions of Windows were later released.
These include Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded.
VIS applications could be written using tools and techniques similar to those used to write software for IBM PC
compatible personal computers running Microsoft Windows. This concept was carried forward in the Microsoft
Xbox.
Unofficial practices have included using Windows computers with boxes that convert VGA to composite or
S-video, though using a graphics card that has a composite or S-video output is more suited for gaming because of
the extra time it takes a VGA converter to process the image. In recent times, it is more common for users to
connect their computer to their television using standard VGA or HDMI, the former being possible since most
newer TVs have a VGA input and the latter being due to the increasing presence of HDMI outputs on graphics
cards.
285
Specifications
Details of the system include:
CPU: Intel 286 (Made by AMD)
Video System: Cirrus Logic
Sound System: Yamaha
Chipset: NCR Corporation
CDROM x2 IDE by Mitsumi
OS: Microsoft Modular Windows
Additional details:
80286-12 processor on a local bus (not ISA) running at 12MHz. 0-wait states. Equivalent PC performance
somewhere around that of a 386SX-16 or 20.
1 MB of ROM containing minimal MS-DOS 3.x, a few drivers, and Modular Windows(TM).
Built-in Audio CD player application.
1 MB of RAM in a conventional PC layout 640KB + 384KB.
Mitsumi 1x (150kB/s) CD-ROM drive with 16-bit interface, 800ms access, 1300ms worst case access, CD+G
capable, but not Photo-CD. 5000 hour MTBF.
IR interface with up to two IR transmitters (hand controllers) operating at once.
PS/2 mouse or keyboard interface (either can be connected and are generally recognized by applications). A wired
hand controller could also be connected to this port for use in locations where the wireless controller was not
practical, or could be used in conjunction with one wireless controller.
Expansion compartment for RS-232 serial board for use with Windows debugger.
Modem (the same modem card that went in the Tandy Sensation I) could also be installed in the VIS. 2400 data
4800 send-only FAX.
Outputs: RCA Line left/right, composite video, RF video, S-Video. NTSC video.
Dallas Semiconductor plug-in CyberCard - removable non-volatile storage, in sizes up to 512 kB and system
comes with 32 kB unit.
Onboard audio is same as Tandy Sensation I: Adlib Gold compatible, not Sound Blaster compatible.
Video uses ADAC-1 chip as found in Tandy Sensation I, supports YUV and several high-quality color modes.
Also supported some TV-specific features for handling overscan.
References
TurboDuo
286
TurboDuo
TurboDuo
TurboDuo with gamepad
Manufacturer NEC and Hudson Soft
Release date 10October1992
Discontinued December 1995
Media TurboChip, CD-ROM
CPU 8-bit HuC6280, effective clock of either 1.79 or 7.16MHz
Memory 8KB Work RAM, 64KB Video RAM, 192KB additional memory (System 3.0)
Display 256224, 512224, 512240 screen resolutions. 512 available colours, 481 on-screen colours.
Input Gamepad
The TurboDuo is a fourth-generation video game console developed by NEC and Hudson Soft for the North
American market. The TurboDuo, released in October 1992, is the North American version of the PC Engine Duo,
Japanese game console released in September 1991.
In the United States, the TurboDuo was marketed by Turbo Technologies, Inc. of Los Angeles, a joint venture of
NEC and Hudson Soft. It was established to market NEC consoles in North America after NEC Home Electronics
USA failed to effectively market the platform satisfactorily.
The TurboDuo integrates the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD-ROM drive into a single, redesigned unit
with an updated BIOS and 192 KB of additional RAM. The 192 KB RAM increase was previously only available by
adding the Super System Card.
The RAM increase and BIOS update afford the TurboDuo and PC Engine Duo compatibility with all CD-ROM and
Super CD-ROM titles (Japanese and North American). Like the TurboGrafx-CD, the TurboDuo can read Compact
Disc Digital Audio and CD+G discs. The TurboDuo, however, cannot read PC Engine HuCards without
modification or an adapter. With a HuCard adapter and a Japanese Arcade Card Duo, the TurboDuo can also read
Japanese Arcade CD-ROM games.
TurboDuo
287
Marketing
Japan
When the PC Engine Duo launched in Japan on September 21, 1991, it retailed for 59,800. The product garnered a
Good Design Award.
NEC later revised the design of the console to reduce both manufacturing costs and the sale price. This new version,
the PC Engine Duo-R (PC Duo-R P Sh Enjin Duo ruHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), went to
market on March 25, 1993 with a retail price of 39,800. The Duo-R omits the 3.5 mm phone connector for
headphones, and the locking switch for the lid of the Duo's top-loading CD-ROM drive. The Duo-R has an off-white,
differently shaped chassis.
NEC released its final variation of the PC Engine Duo on June 25, 1994. The PC Engine Duo-RX (PC
Duo-RX P Sh Enjin Duo ru EkkusuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) has a bluer chassis, and was
bundled with a six-button gamepad.
In a game console comparison published in May 1995, Famicom Tsshin rated the PC Engine Duo 22 out of 40.
[1]
North America
TTI released the TurboDuo to consumers in North America in October 1992, at a retail price of US$299.99. The
price was, in part, a consequence of the relatively high cost of CD-ROM drive manufacturing.
Since TTI understood that the price was too high for many people in their target market, they included a booklet of
coupons for TurboDuo games and accessories, plus several pack-in games on two CD-ROMs: Ys Book I & II (1990)
and a SuperCD compilation of four of Hudson Soft's more popular TurboGrafx-16 titles: Bonk's Adventure (1989),
Bonk's Revenge (1991), Gate of Thunder (1992), and Bomberman (1983). (Bomberman was hidden in an Easter egg.)
The package also included one TurboChip game: Dungeon Explorer (Hudson Soft 1989).
Later, TTI replaced Dungeon Explorer with one of a variety of TurboChip titles, such as Ninja Spirit (Irem 1988)
and Final Lap Twin (Namco 1989).
With the release of the TurboDuo, TTI reduced the retail price of the TurboGrafx-CD peripheral for the
TurboGrafx-16 to $150.00, and began marketing the Super System Card, which enabled the TurboGrafx-CD to play
the new SuperCD games. The Super System Card is preprogrammed with the updated v3.0 BIOS, and increases the
TurboGrafx-16's RAM by 192 kilobytes. The TurboGrafx-CD requires the updated BIOS to read SuperCD discs, and
the additional RAM to run the software capably. The Super System Card retailed for US$65 or, when bundled with
the TurboDuo's SuperCD compilation disc, US$95.
For the TurboDuo marketing campaign, TTI used a character called Johnny Turbo.
[2]
In 1998, Jonathan J.
Burtenshaw of GameSpy described the advertising campaign as "petty" and "overly confrontational," and
conjectured that the campaign hurt TurboDuo sales.
Technical specification
The Japanese PC Engine Duo
CPU
The Hudson Soft HuC6280 is a modified 65C02 with an
effective clock rate of 1.79 or 7.16 MHz (switchable by
software). The integrated components of this 8-bit processor
include a timer, general-purpose I/O port, and bankswitching
hardware (which drives a 21-bit external address bus from a
TurboDuo
288
6502-compatible 16-bit address bus). It is capable of block transfer instructions, as well as dedicated move
instructions for communicating with the TurboDuo's video display controller, the HuC6270A.
Video processing
One 16-bit HuC6260 video color encoder (VCE)
One 16-bit HuC6270A video display controller (VDC). Like the TMS99xx family of video display processors,
it has port-based I/O.
Display resolution
Horizontal lines: Maximum of 512, programmable in 8-pixel incrementss
Vertical lines: Maximum of 240, programmable in 8-pixel increments
Nearly all TurboGrafx-16 games use 256224. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective did use 512224.
The TurboDuo used a different controller port, so
use of older controller and accessories required an
adapter.
Color
Color depth: 9-bit
512-color palette (maximum of 481 colors on-screen: 241 for
background tiles, 240 for sprite)s
Up to 32 palettes (16 for background tiles, 16 for sprites)
Up to 16 colors per palette
Sprites
Sizes: 1616, 1632, 3216, 3232, 3264
Simultaneously displayable: 64 (maximum of 816 per line,
depending on sprite width)
Each sprite can use up to 15 unique colors (one color must be reserved as transparent) via one of the 16
The HuC6270A VDC can display one sprite layer. Sprites could be placed either in front of or behind
background tiles.
Tiles
Each 88-pixel background tile can use up to 16 unique colors via one of the 16 available background palettes.
The first color entry of each background palette must be the same across all background palettes. The
HuC6270A VDC can display one background layer.
Memory
Work RAM: 8 KB
Video RAM: 64 KB
Additional 192 KB of built in Memory (System 3.0)
Sound
Six PSG audio channels, programmable through the CPU
One ADPCM channel
Compact Disc Digital Audio
Software media
TurboChip (called HuCARD in Japan), a thin, card-like ROM cartridge. Published games consumed up to 20
Mb (2.5 MB).
CD-ROM
TurboDuo
289
References
[1] GAME MACHINE CROSS REVIEW: PC Duo. Weekly Famicom Tsshin. No.335. Pg.167. 12-19 May 1995.
[2] Electronic Gaming Monthly. May 2004. 52 (http:/ / www. zinio. com/ premiumsearch?rf=googpm_us& ns=zno& issue=47791380&
page=53).
External links
PC-Engine technical documentation for programmers (http:/ / magicengine. com/ mkit/ doc. html) at
MagicEngine.com
Frozen Utopia (http:/ / www. frozenutopia. com/ ), a website for PC-Engine game developers
TurboGrafx-16
290
TurboGrafx-16
"TG-16" redirects here. For the U.S. Air Force training glider, see DG Flugzeugbau DG-1000.
TurboGrafx-16
PC Engine
Western markets model (top) and the original Japanese system (bottom).
Manufacturer NEC Corporation
Retail availability
JP
October 30, 1987
NA
August 29, 1989
EU
1990
Discontinued
JP
December 16, 1994
NA
1995
Units sold Worldwide: 10 million
United States: 2.5 million
Media HuCard, CD-ROM (only with the CD-ROM add-on)
CPU Hudson Soft HuC6280
Successor SuperGrafx
The TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem, originally known in Japan as the PC Engine (PC
P Sh EnjinHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), is a video game console joint-developed by Hudson Soft and
NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in the United States on August 29, 1989. It was the first console
released in the 16-bit era, albeit still utilizing an 8-bit CPU. Originally intended to compete with the Nintendo
Entertainment System (NES), it ended up competing against the likes of the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super
Famicom/Super Nintendo, and even the Neo Geo AES.
The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit CPU and a dual 16-bit GPU; and is capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously,
out of 512. With dimensions of 14cm14cm3.8cm (5.5 in5.5 in1.5 in), the NEC PC Engine once held the
record for the world's smallest game console ever made.
[1]
In the United Kingdom, Telegames released a slightly altered version of the American model simply as the
TurboGrafx around 1990 in extremely limited quantities. Although there was no full-scale PAL region release of
the system, imported PC Engine consoles were largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers
TurboGrafx-16
291
thanks to the unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Socit de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot
International).
[2]
Two major revisions, the PC Engine SuperGrafx and the PC Engine Duo, were released in 1989 and 1991,
respectively. The entire series was succeeded by the PC-FX in 1994, which was only released in Japan.
PC Engine
The PC Engine was a collaborative effort between the relatively young Hudson Soft (founded in 1973) and NEC.
NEC's interest in entering the lucrative video game market coincided with Hudson's failed attempt to sell designs for
then-advanced graphics chips to Nintendo, similar to Nintendo's later rejection of Sony's designs for a Super
Famicom CD attachment which evolved into the PlayStation.
The PC Engine is a relatively compact video game console, owing to an efficient three-chip architecture and its use
of small ROM cartridges called HuCards. Hudson Soft developed the HuCard (Hudson Card) from the Bee Card
technology it piloted on the MSX. HuCards, or TurboChips in the US, are about the size of a credit card, but slightly
thicker. They are not unlike the slim cartridge reserved for low-budget game releases on the Sega Master System.
The console's CPU is a Hudson Soft HuC6280 8-bit microprocessor. Its 16-bit graphics processor and video color
encoder chip were also developed by Hudson Soft.
The PC Engine initially performed well in Japan, beating Nintendo's Famicom in sales soon after its release, with no
fewer than twelve console models released between 1987 and 1993.Wikipedia:Citation needed Despite the system's
early success, it started to lose ground to the Super Famicom. NEC made one final effort to resuscitate the system
with the release of the Arcade Card expansion, bringing the total amount of RAM up to 2048k, nearly as much as a
Sony PlayStation. Some Arcade Card games were conversions of popular Neo Geo titles. The expansion card was
never released outside Japan.
New commercial titles were released for the PC Engine up until 1999.
CD-ROM / TurboGrafx-CD
CoreGrafx II with Super-CD-Rom unit
The PC-Engine was the first video game console to have a CD-ROM
peripheral, and to use CD-ROM as a storage medium for video
games.
[3]
NEC released the CD-ROM ( 2 Sh
D Romu RomuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) in Japan on
December 4, 1988, and released the TurboGrafx-CD in the United
States on August 1, 1990. NEC was also the first to market a game
console with an integrated CD-ROM drive: the PC Engine Duo of
1991.
The TurboGrafx-CD had a launch price of $399.99, and did not include
any bundled games. Fighting Street (Street Fighter) and Monster Lair
(Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair) were the TurboGrafx-CD launch titles;
Ys Book I & II soon followed. However, the TurboGrafx-CD catalog grew at a very slow rate compared to the library
of TurboChip (HuCard) titles.
The TurboGrafx-CD came packaged in a very large box, most of which was filled with protective styrofoam
inserts.Wikipedia:Citation needed The TurboGrafx-CD did however come with a large plastic "carrying case" that
could comfortably hold the TurboGrafx-16 base system, TurboGrafx-CD, all AC adapters, 2-3 controllers, and a few
games.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Although the TurboGrafx-CD library was relatively small, American gamers could draw from a wide range of
Japanese software since there was no region protection on any PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM software.
TurboGrafx-16
292
Although Japanese CD-ROM games were compatible with the North American CD-ROM, Japanese HuCards
required an adapter, as the pin assignments were different from the Japanese PC-Engine HuCards. Many mail order
(and some brick-and-mortar) import stores advertised Japanese CD and HuCard titles in the video game publications
of the era.Wikipedia:Citation needed
In addition to small BIOS updates, two "upgrades" to the CD-ROM would follow: the Super CD-ROM (
2 Sp Sh D Romu RomuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) and its "Super
System Card" ( Sp Shisutemu KdoHelp:Installing Japanese character
sets) (added 192KB of RAM); and the Arcade CD-ROM ( 2 kdo Sh
D Romu RomuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) and its "Arcade Cards" ( kdo
KdoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) (Pro and Duo, added a huge 2MB of RAM). Again, these were not
compatible with the TurboGrafx-16 without an adapter.
Variations
Several variations and related products of the PC Engine were released throughout the 1990s.
SuperGrafx
Main article: PC Engine SuperGrafx
The SuperGrafx is a variation of the standard PC-Engine hardware. This system is nearly identical to the original PC
Engine, except it has a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) to combine the output of the two VDCs, four
times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. The CPU, sound, and color
palette were not upgraded, making the expensive price tag a big disadvantage to the system. NEC also decided to not
include the extra two video chips in the all-in-one Duo replacement system, essentially killing off any chance of the
SuperGrafx continued support. Only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (Darius Plus and
Darius Alpha took advantage of the extra video hardware if played on a SuperGrafx) were released, and the system
fell into obscurity.
Minor variations
Other members of the PC Engine family include the Shuttle, the LT (a laptop version similar to the Game Boy
Advance SP, but considerably larger), the CoreGrafx I and II, the Duo R and the Duo RX. Contrary to popular belief,
the CoreGrafx is not a European version of the PC Engine. It is simply a reengineered version of the original (white)
PC Engine with an AV output instead of the original model's RF output. The PC Engine and its derivatives were not
officially released in Europe, although many systems and most accessories and games were available as imports. The
PC Engine and its games had been extensively covered by most major European video game magazines and were
surprisingly popular.
PC Engine Duo
Main article: TurboDuo
In 1991 NEC Home Electronics released the PC Engine Duo. The system combined the PC Engine and the Super
CD-ROM into a single unit. The system could play audio CDs, CD+Gs, CD-ROM2 and Super CD-ROM games as
well as standard HuCards.
It was later released in 1992 by TTI (Turbo Technologies Inc.) in North America as the TurboDuo and was
originally bundled with one control pad, an AC adapter, RCA cables, Ys Book I & II (a CD-ROM title), and a Super
CD-ROM including Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Gate of Thunder and a secret version of Bomberman
accessible via an easter egg. The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from
system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were
TurboGrafx-16
293
eventually used, such as Irem's Ninja Spirit and Namco's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick). The
Super System Card required for some games when using the original CD add-on as well as some of the Japanese
variants of the TurboGrafx was built into the Duo rather than requiring the card to be inserted at all times when
playing CD games.
TurboExpress
Main article: TurboExpress
TurboExpress handheld
The TurboExpress was a portable version of the TurboGrafx, released in 1990
for $249.99 (the price was briefly raised to $299.99, soon dropped back to
$249.99, and by 1992 it was $199.99). It was the most advanced handheld of its
time and could play all the TG-16's HuCard games five years before the Sega
Nomad could do the same for Sega Genesis games. Its Japanese equivalent was
the PC Engine GT'. It had a 2.6-inch (66mm) backlit, active-matrix color LCD
screen, the most advanced on the market for a portable video game unit at the
time. The screen contributed to its high price and short battery life, however. Its
keypad layout is similar to that of the original Game Boy (the TG-16 controller's
keypad layout was similar to that of the Famicom/NES controller also). It shared
the capabilities of the TurboGrafx, giving it 512 available colors (9-bit RGB),
stereo sound, and the same custom CPU at 7.15909 MHz. The optional
"TurboVision" TV tuner included RCA audio/video input, allowing the user to
use TurboExpress as a video monitor. The "TurboLink" allowed two-player play.
Falcon, a flight simulator, included a "head-to-head" dogfight mode that could
only be accessed via TurboLink. However, very few TG-16 games offered co-op
play modes especially designed with the TurboExpress in mind.
Stand-alone systems
PC Engine (1987)
White, only RF output
PC Engine Shuttle (1989)
UFO-shaped system, unique expansion port (no CD option), AV output
PC Engine SuperGrafx (1989)
The only PC Engine unit to contain enhanced HuCard functionality. Only five games were released for it (two
regular PC Engine releases, Darius Plus and Darius Alpha, were enhanced to utilize the extra sprite capability
of the SuperGrafx).
PC Engine CoreGrafx (1989)
Dark grey, blue label, AV output
PC Engine CoreGrafx II (1991)
Light grey, orange label, AV output, Identical in function to the CoreGrafx
TurboGrafx-16
294
CD-ROM accessories
Core-Grafx with CD-ROM and interface unit
CD-ROM (1988)
White "briefcase" design matching the style of the original PC
Engine. A special adaptor, named RAU-30
[4]
, is required to
connect it to the SuperGrafx.
Super CD-ROM (1991)
A grey-colored CD attachment system add-on, with built-in
SystemCard 3.0 to play all Super CD-ROM games in addition to
CD-ROM game formats. It can be connected directly to the rear
pinouts of the original white PC Engine, the PC Engine
CoreGrafx, CoreGrafx2, and lastly the SuperGrafx. A special
adaptor, named PI-AD18
[5]
, is required to connect it to the PC-Engine-LT. However, the Super CD-ROM
tend to be much more difficult to find.
Portable systems
PC-Engine LT
PC Engine GT (1990)
Portable system, identical in shape and function to the
U.S.-released TurboExpress
PC Engine LT (1991)
Semi-portable system (no battery option) similar in size to a
normal PC Engine or CoreGrafx. Uses a very large attached
screen, and folds up like a laptop (hence the LT moniker)
Duo systems
PC Engine Duo RX
PC Engine Duo (1991)
Combination PC Engine + CD ROM system + System 3.0 card,
dark grey, has a CD door lock and headphone port
PC Engine Duo R (1993)
Same as the Duo, but white/beige with a more streamlined case
style, and lacks the lock and headphone port.
PC Engine Duo RX (1994)
Same as the Duo R, slightly blue in color. The only PCE
packaged with a six-button pad.
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295
Others
X1 Twin
Combination of X1 computer and PC Engine. Only played HuCards.
Pioneer LaserActive
Pioneer and NEC released a LaserDisc player with video game modules. One module allowed the use of PC
Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM and Super CD-ROM) as well as new "LD-ROM" titles that only worked
on this device.
PC-KD863G
A computer (RGB) monitor with a built-in PCE. Only played HuCards.
Other region variations
TurboGrafx-CD - American version of CD-ROM
TurboExpress - American version of PC Engine GT
TurboDuo - American version of PC Engine Duo
TurboGrafx - United Kingdom, PAL video output
Vistar 16
[6]
- South Korea
Several clones
[7]
Unofficial variations
Various PC Engine Shuttle clones exist, with varying levels of compatibility with original PC-Engine games. One
of the more common types is the "PC Boy".
New Tai Sang Corporation released bootleg HuCards which were sometimes patched to add features like
invincibility. Unlike most bootlegs these closely resembled the original games in terms of packaging, even with
color labels and manuals.
The PC Engine was never officially released in continental Europe, but some companies imported them and made
SCART conversions on a moderate scale. In France, a company known as Sodipeng imported Japanese systems
and added an RGB Cable called "AudioVideo Plus Cable". This mod improved the original video signal quality
extensively and made the consoles work with SECAM televisions. In Germany, several importers sold converted
PC Engines with PAL RF as well as RGB output. The connectors and pinouts used for the latter were frequently
compatible with the Amiga video port, with two unconnected pins used for the audio channels.
TurboGrafx-16
296
Unreleased hardware
A modem was developed but never released (some working prototypes are in circulation, though).
A SCSI interface for the Duo CD-ROM drive to be used by a PC existed in prototype form only (it was featured
in a TTi-published TurboGrafx-16 oriented magazine in the US and on Computer Chronicles episode #1043).
Peripheral compatibility
The TurboGrafx-16 had only one controller port,
so any multiplayer games required the TurboTap
accessory.
All PC Engine systems support the same controller peripherals,
including pads, joysticks and multitaps. Except for the Vistar, Shuttle,
GT, and systems with built-in CD-ROM drives, all PC Engine units
shared the same expansion connector, which allowed for the use of
devices such as the CD-ROM unit, game saves and AV output.
The TurboGrafx and Vistar units use a different controller port than the
PC Engines, but adaptors are available and the protocol is the same.
The TurboGrafx offers the same expansion connector pinout as the PC
Engine, but has a slightly different shape so peripherals must be
modified to fit.
The Super System Card provides 192 kB of RAM, supplementing the built in 64K of DRAM found in the CD
interface tray. The PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles have the Super System Cards 192 kB of RAM plus the 64K of
standard RAM and v3.00 BIOS software built in, and can play both CD-ROM and Super CD-ROM games without
using any additional cards.
The Arcade Card Pro is designed for the original CD-ROM and Super CD-ROM peripherals, adding the 2304 kB
of RAM required by Arcade CD-ROM games. It could, of course, also play standard CD-ROM and Super
CD-ROM games.
The Arcade Card Duo is for the PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles and adds 2048 kB RAM. Because the PC-Engine
Duo series of systems have 256K of RAM built-in, this does not need to be provided and is why the Arcade Card
Duo contained less RAM and was less expensive than the Pro version.
Note: Since the aforementioned consoles use the same BIOS revision as the Arcade Card Pro, it is not known (as a
cost-saving measure) if the Arcade Card Duo includes the BIOS software itself, or if the existing built-in BIOS is
used.
The various CD-ROM game types are:
CD-ROM : Standard CD-ROM game.
Super CD-ROM : Requires a compatible system or upgrade card.
Arcade CD-ROM : Requires an upgrade card.
While the standard CD-ROM and Super CD-ROM had RAM for data storage which was accessed directly, the
Arcade CD-ROM cards accessed the RAM in a slightly different way.
Both the Pro and Duo versions of the Arcade Card worked in the same way. Just as with the Super CD-ROM, up to
256 kB of the RAM was able to be accessed directly by the CPU. The other 2048 kB was accessed indirectly by four
indirect self incrementing/decrementing address registers. These registers were mapped into memory hardware bank
and also mapped into 4 special memory banks. Reading and writing sequential data was speed up and reduced cycle
cost due to these new registers. This meant *far* data could be accessed with these four registers without having to
map banks of memory into the CPU's logical address range, and could be transferred to VRAM ports faster and
easier, as is evidenced by the many conversions of well-animated Neo Geo fighting games to the Arcade CD-ROM.
The Arcade card was known to have existed in working prototype form as early as mid '92 from looking at (non
public) source code files to Art of Fighting ACD port.
TurboGrafx-16
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One technique that was used by games pre-dating the Arcade Card upgrade was to store graphics data in the 64K
audio RAM (used for ADPCM samples) that was present. This RAM could be directly populated by the CD-ROM
hardware (it had a direct DMA channel from the CD controller) without CPU intervention, and the memory could be
accessed in an indirect fashion, similar to the Arcade Card but at a much-much slower interface, allowing data stored
in it to appear as a 64 kB stream of linear data that could be easily transferred to the system RAM.
NEC also manufactured a very large line of personal computers, one of which featured a single-speed CD ROM
drive identical to the PC Engine version. They were designed to be interchangeable, which is why the PC Engine's
IFU-30 CD ROM interface could be purchased without a CD ROM drive.
NEC developed a prototype adaptor that connected a PC through the HuCard slot, allowing the PC to control the PC
Engine's CD ROM as it would any normal SCSI drive. Due to falling CD drive prices and the increasing
undesirability of a single-speed SCSI drive, it was never released. It was however previewed in NEC's official U.S
TurboDuo magazine.
The Pioneer LaserActive was a laserdisc player with an expansion bay. One of the expansion modules released
allowed it to play PC Engine titles (HuCards, CD-ROM
2
and Super CD) as well as games released on laserdisc
(LD-ROM
2
) that only worked on this setup. Eleven LD-ROM
2
titles were released in Japan, though only three of
them were released in North America.
Video formats
All PC Engine hardware outputs video in NTSC format, including the European TurboGrafx; it generates a
PAL-compatible video signal by using a chroma encoder chip not found in any other system in the series.
The American TurboGrafx-16 console with CD
unit
CPU: 8-bit HuC6280A, a modified 65SC02 (a separate branch from
the 65C02, of the original MOS 6502) running at 1.7897725MHz
or 7.15909MHz (switchable by software). Features integrated
bankswitching hardware (driving a 21-bit external address bus from
a 6502-compatible 16-bit address bus), an integrated
general-purpose I/O port, a timer, block transfer instructions, and
dedicated move instructions for communicating with the
HuC6270A VDC.
GPU: A dual graphics processor setup. One 16-bit HuC6260 Video
Color Encoder (VCE), and one 16-bit HuC6270A Video Display
Controller (VDC). The HuC6270A featured Port-based I/O similar
to the TMS99xx VDP family.
Display
Resolution
X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 565 (programmable to 282, 377 or 565 pixels, or as
5.3693175MHz, 7.15909MHz, and 10.738635MHz pixel dot clock) Taking into consideration overscan
limitations of CRT televisions at the time, the horizontal resolutions were realistically limited to something a bit
less than what the system was actually capable of. Consequently, most game developers limited their games to
either 256, 352, or 512 pixels in display width for each of the three modes.
Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline). It is possible to
achieve an interlaced "mode" with a maximum vertical resolution of 484 scanlines by alternating between the two
different vertical resolution modes used by the system. However, it is unknown, at this time, if this interlaced
TurboGrafx-16
298
resolution is compliant with (and hence displayed correctly on) NTSC televisions.
The majority of TurboGrafx-16 games use 256239, though some games, such as Sherlock Holmes Consulting
Detective did use 512224.
Color
Colors available: 512 (9-bit)
Colors onscreen: Maximum of 482 (241 background, 241 sprite)
Palettes: Maximum of 32 (16 for background tiles, 16 for sprites)
Colors per palette: 16 per background palette (color entry #0 of each background palette must be the same), and
15 per sprite palette (plus transparent, which is displayed as an actual color in the overscan area of the screen)
Sprites
Simultaneously displayable: 64 on-screen, 16 (256 sprite pixels) per scanline
Sizes: 1616, 1632, 1664, 3216, 3232, 3264
Palette: Each sprite can use up to 15 unique colors (one color must be reserved as transparent) via one of the 16
Layers: The HuC6270A VDC was capable of displaying one sprite layer. Sprites could be placed either in front of
or behind background tiles by manipulating a bit which caused indirect pixel color entry #0 of the background
tile(s) to act as transparent.
Tiles
Size: 88
Palette: Each background tile can use up to 15 unique colors via one of the 16 available background palettes and 1
shared color (BG color #0) for a total of 16 colors per tile. The first color entry of each background subpalette is
ignored. Instead, color #0's RGB value is shown in its place (the common/shared color). When a specific sprite is
set to show behind the BG layer via the priority bit, all tiles that use relative color #0 (of 16) will not show BG
color #0. But instead will show the sprite pixel (if not opaque).
Layers: The HuC6270A VDC was capable of displaying one background layer.
Memory
Work RAM: 8 kB
Video RAM: 64 kB
Audio Capacity
Six Wavetable Synthesis audio channels, programmable through the HuC6280A CPU.
Each channel had a frequency of 111.87kHz for single cycle of 32 samples (while not in D/A mode) with a bit
depth of 5 bits. Each channel also was allotted 20 bytes (325 bits) of RAM for sample data.
The waveforms were programmable so the composers were not limited to the standard selection of waveforms
(square, sine, sawtooth, triangle, etc.). But the use of standard waveforms, and semi-standard forms, such as a
25% pulse wave were used fairly often.
The first two audio channels (1 and 2) were capable of LFO when channel #2 was used to modulate channel #1.
In theory, this could also be used to perform an FM operation, though due to other limitations, this was never
done (note: LFO, like FM works by modifying an audible waveform (carrier oscillator) with an inaudible
waveform (modulator oscillator), but LFO's modulator is subsonic rather than sonic (FM), so LFO will not change
the carrier's timbre, just its behavior, and as a result, LFO does not really sound anything like FM.)
The final two audio channels (5 and 6) were capable of Noise generation.
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299
Optional software enabled Direct D/A which allows for sampled sound to be streamed into any of the six PSG
audio channels. When a channel is in D/A mode the frequency is as fast as the CPU can stream bytes to the port,
though in practicality it is limited to 6.99kHz when using the TIMER interrupt with its smallest loop setting
(1023 cpu cycles) or 15.7kHz using the scanline interrupt.
There is a method that combines two channels in DDA mode to play back 8-bit, 9-bit, or 10-bit samples.
The addition of the CD-ROM peripheral adds CD-DA sound, and a single ADPCM channel to the existing sound
capabilities of the PC Engine.
Sound system is often mistakenly called PSG, but this is incorrect. It is Wavetable Synthesis. The fairly common
use of standard and semi-standard waveforms is the most likely source of the confusion. But PSG and Wavetable
do not generate sound the same way. So, even when they're both making exactly the same tone, there's still
something completely different going on "under the hood." The only point at which the term PSG may ever be
appropriately used when applied to this sound system is in the ability to use white noise on channels 5 and 6.
Game media
HuCard (Turbo Chip in North America): A thin, card-like game medium. The largest Japanese HuCard games
were up to 20 Mbit in size. The name was derived from Hudson Soft, the company who developed the game card
technology.
CD: The PC Engine CD was the first home video game console to offer a CD-ROM accessory.
With only one exception, the PC Engine SuperGrafx, all PC Engine hardware could play the entire HuCard
library, and every CD system could play all of the licensed CD games - with the right system card. Some
unlicensed CD games by Games Express required a Duo system, due to their games requiring both a special
system card packaged with the games and the 256 kB of RAM built into the Duo.
CD hardware technical specifications and information
Oki MSM5205 ADPCM chip with variable speed input clock, and 64 kB DRAM for audio sample storage. Only
one channel of 4-bit compressed audio (decompresses to 12-bit, top 10 bits output through DAC) was supported.
Programmable, timer controlled, electronic volume attenuator to fade-out the CD-DA and ADPCM audio
channels together or individually.
The PC-Engine CD-ROM interface tray has 64 kB of DRAM for storage of program code and data loaded from
the CD.
The "System Card" contains the BIOS program used to boot CD media and provides functions for software to
access CD hardware through a standardized interface. Later System Cards had extra RAM and updates to the
BIOS.
The Duo series has the same BIOS ROM (v3.00) and RAM (256 kB total) as a PC-Engine system equipped with
a Super System Card. The Duo implements the memory as a single 256 kB SRAM chip rather than the split 64 kB
DRAM / 192 kB SRAM.
The list of known CD-ROM BIOS revisions are:
v1.00 - First release (HuCard, came with the PC-Engine CD-ROM interface unit)
v2.00 - Upgrade (HuCard, sold separately)
v2.10 - Upgrade (HuCard, sold separately)
v3.00 - Final release (built into several products and available as a HuCard - see below)
The list of known System Card releases are:
System Card, v1.00 - First release. Came packaged with the original PC-Engine CD-ROM System. Also
available as a standalone purchase, in case the pack-in System Card was lost or damaged.
System Card, v2.00 BIOS update. The only difference between this and the original System Card is the
BIOS code update to v2.00. Otherwise, it is the same.
TurboGrafx-16
300
System, Card, v.2.10 BIOS update. This may have been a bug fix for the System Card v2.00 BIOS code.
Super System Card - 1.5 Mbit RAM (192 kB) RAM upgrade and BIOS update. This expands the RAM
available for the CD-ROM unit to 256 kB when including the existing built in DRAM. It also offers a final
BIOS update to v3.00. The PC-Engine Duo (Turbo Duo in North America) had 256 kB of RAM and the same
v3.00 BIOS built into the system. Games developed for this System Card bore the title "Super CD-ROM", and
could not be played using an older System Card.
Arcade Card Pro - 17.5 Mbit RAM (2240 kB as 2 MB+192 kB) RAM upgrade. This greatly expands the
RAM available for the CD-ROM unit to 2240 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. Games
developed for this System Card bore the title Arcade Card CD, and could not be played using an older System
Card. The Arcade Card Pro includes the extra 192 kB needed by the non Duo CD system. The 2 MB of RAM
is accessed through ports or units of single 8 kB banks and is intended for graphics data storage rather than
program code; its flexible addressing system allows for rapid transfer of data to VRAM.
Arcade Card Duo 16 Mbit RAM (2048 kB) RAM upgrade. This greatly expands the RAM available for
the PC-Engine Duo system to 2048 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. Games developed for
this System Card bore the title Arcade Card CD, and could not be played using an older System Card. This
will only work on the Duo systems, as it does not include the extra memory built into the Duo system.
Games Express Card Bootleg system card. This was a bootleg System Card released by Games Express for
play of unlicensed Games Express CD games. Only unlicensed Games Express games could be played on this
System Card.
Corresponding CD-ROM products
Arcade Card Duo (left) and Arcade Card Pro
PC-Engine Interface Unit (IFU-30), came with System Card (CD-ROM System, v1.00)
System Card (CD-ROM System, v1.00) (standalone, available as a replacement for the above)
System Card (CD-ROM System, v2.00)
System Card (CD-ROM System, v2.10)
Super System Card (Super CD-ROM System, v3.00)
Arcade Card Pro (Arcade CD-ROM, v3.00)
Arcade Card Duo (Arcade CD-ROM, v3.00)
Super CD-ROM System (Super CD-ROM System, v3.00)
PC-Engine Duo (Super CD-ROM System, v3.00)
PC-Engine Duo R (Super CD-ROM System, v3.00)
PC-Engine Duo RX (Super CD-ROM System, v3.00)
SuperGrafx ROM Adapter Unit (RAU-30), a cable with two large ends that allows connecting the SuperGrafx to
the IFU-30
TurboGrafx-16
301
Drive unit
Single-speed CD-ROM drive, managed by an NEC microcontroller and using the SCSI-I interface.
Transfer rate of 150 kB/s.
Region protection
Common HuCard Converters
With HuCards, a limited form of region protection was introduced
between markets which for the most part was nothing more than
running some of the HuCard's pinout connections in a different
arrangement. There were several major after-market converters
sold to address this problem, and were sold predominantly for use
in converting Japanese titles for play on a TG-16. In the Japanese
market, NEC went further by adding a hardware level detection
function to all PC Engine systems that detected if a game was a
U.S. release, and would then refuse to play it. The only known
exception to this is the U.S. release of Klax which did not contain
this function. The explanation commonly given for this by NEC
officials is that most U.S. conversions had the difficulty level
reduced, and in some cases were censored for what was considered inappropriate content, and consequently, they did
not want the U.S. conversion to re-enter the Asian market and negatively impact the perception of a
game.Wikipedia:Citation needed The poster child for censorship in this fashion was Kato-chan and Ken-chan
released as J.J. & Jeff in the U.S. With some minor soldering skills, a change could be made to PC Engines to
disable this check.
The only Japanese games that could not be played on a U.S. system using one of these converters were the
SuperGrafx titles which could only be played on a SuperGrafx. The first converter to market was an
Asian-developed module labeled the Game Converter and marked with a model number of
WH-301.Wikipedia:Citation needed Another converter, named the "Kisado", was created and initially sold by David
Shadoff to members of the Turbo Mailing-List in pre-ordered batches before later being offered through on-line
retailers.Wikipedia:Citation needed
For CD games, it was an entirely different situation. While there was no region protection on CD games, there were
the three CD formats: CD-ROM, Super CD-ROM and Arcade CD-ROM. The TurboGrafx-CD, equipped with the
original System Card (version 2.01), could play all Japanese and North American CD-ROM games. A
TurboGrafx-CD, equipped with the updated Super System Card (version 3.01), could play all Japanese and North
American Super CD-ROM and CD-ROM format games. The Arcade System Card (for playing Arcade CD-ROM
titles) had two versions, Pro and Duo. The Arcade Card Pro was specifically for pre-Duo systems although it was
compatible with all PC Engine systems (including the SuperGrafx). It included both the Super CD operating system
and the extra memory found in the Duo systems. The Arcade Card Duo worked with Duo systems exclusively as it
featured only the Arcade enhancements. This allowed the Duo card to be sold at a lower price. All Japanese system
cards worked in U.S. systems with the use of a HuCard converter or system modification.
TurboGrafx-16
302
Rivalry with Nintendo and Sega
The TurboPad TurboGrafx-16 controller
The TurboGrafx-16 was released in the New York and Los Angeles
test market in late August 1989. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 was
marketed as a direct competitor to the NES and early television ads
touted the TG-16's superior graphics and sound. These ads featured a
brief montage of the TG-16's launch titles: Blazing Lazers, China
Warrior, Vigilante, Alien Crush, etc. The TG-16 was also in direct
competition with the Sega Genesis, which had had its own New
York/Los Angeles test-market launch two weeks prior, on August
14.
[8]
The Genesis launch was accompanied by an ad campaign mocking NEC's claim that the TurboGrafx-16 was
the first 16-bit console.
Another problem for the TG-16 was its relatively limited hardware.Wikipedia:Citation needed The Genesis came
with only one controller, but it provided a port for a second; the TG-16 only had one controller port. Players who
wanted to take advantage of the simultaneous multiplayer modes in their games were required to buy the Turbo Tap
(a multitap accessory which permitted up to five controllers to be plugged into the system), in addition to the
necessary extra controllers.
NEC claimed that it had sold 750,000 TG-16 consoles in the United States, and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide,
by March 1991. In 1992, comic book-like ads featuring Johnny Turbo were published by TTi. The ads mocked Sega,
in particular the Sega-CD. However, by this point the TG-16 had been defeated by the Genesis in the marketplace,
which was by then dominated by the battle between the Genesis and the Super Nintendo.
Despite the former rivalry, many TurboGrafx-16 games are currently available via Nintendo's Virtual Console
service.
TG-16 on TV
During the TG-16's 1989 launch, short television commercials appeared across the U.S. to introduce the new
console. This campaign would expand and become more extensive in 1990, with NEC promoting Bonk as the next
big franchise in video games.Wikipedia:Citation needed
In addition to the advertising in 1990, the TG-16, TG-CD, and TurboExpress were briefly covered on PBS'
Computer Chronicles (two episodes, including "Battle of the Consoles").Wikipedia:Citation needed Later, when the
TurboDuo was launched, it was featured in an episode on "CD-ROM and multimedia software".Wikipedia:Citation
needed
Video Power, a video game show (live action game show with The Power Team cartoon) syndicated in the United
States in the early 1990s, featured footage from video games at the end of many episodes. Blazing Lazers, Legendary
Axe, and other titles appeared in several episodes of the show.Wikipedia:Citation needed However, Video Power
rarely featured TG-16 games and focused on games for the NES and Genesis instead. In addition, the Nickelodeon
game show Nick Arcade featured several TG-16 games in the Video Challenge portion of the
show.Wikipedia:Citation needed
TurboGrafx-16
303
Magazines
PC Engine Fan Magazine
Main article: PC Engine Fan
The longest running NEC publication was sold in Japan under the name PC Engine Fan Magazine and was
exclusively dedicated to NEC systems, beating out rival publications Gekkan PC Engine (Shogakukan) and
Marukatsu PC Engine (Kadokawa Shoten) to the market by a month in late 1988. Published by Tokuma Shoten, the
magazine started out as a separate department of Family Computer Magazine, Tokuma's flagship console
publication; the "FAN" name was also used by sister magazines MSX FAN and Mega Drive FAN.
While it occasionally featured extra pull-out material, its chief recognition among U.S. fans is the Hyper Catalog
that was released in 1993; it featured an index of all of the Japanese published titles to date. PC Engine Fan
Magazine also ran occasional specials, such as selling a second pressing of Magical Chase via mail-order after the
original publisher went bankrupt almost immediately after its release.
Dengeki PC Engine
Near the end of 1992, several employees Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Unsupported attributions from
publisher Kadokawa Shoten left the company, and formed MediaWorks (now ASCII MediaWorks
[9]
), a new
publishing company. When a key member of the Marukatsu PC Engine team joined in Wikipedia:Manual of
Style/Words to watch#Unsupported attributions, a new PC Engine magazine titled Dengeki PC Engine ( PC
Dengeki PC EnjinHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) became one of their first publications.
[10]
The
first issue, "February 1993", came out in December 1992.
In its later days, Dengeki PC Engine began turning its attention more to bishjo games (made popular on the PC
Engine by several titles, including NEC Avenue's Sotsugy: Graduation
[11]
and Konami's Tokimeki Memorial) and
less to NEC's game consoles in general, something that, together with NEC's fading popularity in the computer
entertainment market, led the publishers to change its name to Dengeki G's Engine starting in June 1996, now
covering bishjo games for all platforms and no longer focusing on NEC's machines.
A few additional name changes happened afterwards; first the "Engine" moniker was dropped in June 1997, (the new
title being Dengeki G's Magajiin) and finally in 2002, the Japanese transliterated word "Magajiin" ( )
was changed to "Magazine". Dengeki G's Magazine is still published today.
TurboPlay
Larry Flynt Publications published 14 bi-monthly issues of TurboPlay Magazine (June/July
1990August/September 1992) dedicated to covering TG-16 and TG-CD hardware and software. It was a spin-off
publication of Video Games & Computer Entertainment (VG&CE), a popular multi-platform gaming magazine of
the late 1980s and early 1990s. Every issue of TurboPlay was 32 pages in length and a yearly subscription cost
$9.95. An advertisement for TurboPlay was included with every TG-16 console beginning in
TurboGrafx-16
304
Other magazines
Sendai published four quarterly issues of TURBOFORCE magazine (September 1992Spring 1993). TTi had
editorial control over TURBOFORCE and used it to promote the launch of the new TurboDuo console. Unlike
TurboPlay and DuoWorld, TURBOFORCE was devoid of critical game reviews.
L.F.P. published three bi-monthly issues of DUOWORLD magazine (July/August 19November/December 1993)
before it was canceled. DuoWorld was very similar in format to TurboPlay, but with a focus on the newly released
TurboDuo console (i.e., TurboMail and TurboNews became DuoMail and DuoNews, respectively).
NEC also published a handful of newsletters (TurboEdge) and sent them to customers that sent in their TG-16
warranty cards or subscribed to TurboPlay. These newsletters were black and white, mostly text, and four to eight
pages in length.
Reception
In Japan, the PC Engine outsold Sega's console. In North America and Europe the situation was reversed, with both
Sega and Nintendo dominating the console market at the expense of NEC. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in
the U.S., but eventually it suffered from lack of support from third-party software developers and publishers.
In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN, albeit citing a lack
of third party support and the absence of a second controller port.
Legacy
After the system died, NEC decided to concentrate on the Japanese market, where it has had much more success. In
1994, NEC released a new console, the Japan-only PC-FX, a 32-bit system with a tower-like design; it enjoyed a
small but steady stream of games until 1998, when NEC finally abandoned the video games industry. NEC would
then partner with former rival Nintendo in making the CPU for the Nintendo 64 and Sega, providing a version of its
PowerVR 2 Chipset for the Dreamcast.
There is a niche collector's market for TurboGrafx games and Japanese imports, mainly centered around the system's
many arcade ports of shooters. Spurring this interest is the fact that Turbo ports from the arcade tended to be closer
to the original than Sega Genesis, Super NES, or NES versions, in terms of graphics and sound. Hudson Soft also
released some shooters which were exclusive to the Turbo, such as Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly-Paradise, Gate of
Thunder, Soldier Blade, Super Star Soldier, and Star Parodia (Japan). The most famous American shooter is
probably Blazing Lazers (Gunhed in Japan) which was featured in all early television ads.
Several PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 games are available for download on Nintendo's Virtual Console download
service. More games among the "greatest hits" of the system are planned to be released at as-yet-undetermined times;
the exact number or titles of games selected for future release is still unknown. Since then several TG-16 games
became available on the Virtual Console that were originally never released in America for the system. On October
15, 2007, the game Gate of Thunder was released on the Virtual Console in North America, marking the first
TurboGrafx-CD game to be released on the North American Virtual Console. At the 2011 GDC, Nintendo
announced that TurboGrafx 16 and Game Gear games would be available for the Nintendo 3DS' Virtual Console.
As of July 15, 2009, four PC-Engine games have been released on the Japanese PlayStation Network for play on the
PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. The four games are Bomberman '94, New Adventure Island, Sengoku
Mahjong, and Devil's Crush. The price for all four has been set at 600. Since then more games have been released
on PSN.
The rights to the TurboGrafx-16 and its games are now owned by Konami through their absorption of Hudson Soft
in 2012.
TurboGrafx-16
305
Emulation
See also: List of TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine emulators
References
[1] Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition (2008)
[2] Pubs Sodipeng Pc-engine (1990-91) - Le Adra's Blog ! - GAMEBLOG.fr (http:/ / gameblog. fr/ blogs/ adrameleck/
p_19043_pubs-sodipeng-pc-engine-1990-91)
[3] Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time (http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-25-consoles/ 13. html), IGN. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
[4] http:/ / www. bloss-nicht.de/ Fotos/ PCE/ Monster.jpg
[5] http:/ / www6.airnet.ne. jp/ wataru/ pce/ option1. htm
[6] http:/ / nfggames. com/ games/ vistar/
[7] http:/ / nfggames. com/ games/ pceclones/
[8] Steven L. Kent, The Ultimate History of Video Games, p. 413.
[9] http:/ / asciimw. jp/
[10] [10] Dengeki G's Magazine
[11] http:/ / www.pcengine. co. uk/ HTML_Games/ Sotsugyo_Graduation. htm
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to PC Engine.
The PC Engine Software Bible (http:/ / www. pcengine. co. uk) software listing including reviews and videos.
Archaic Pixels (http:/ / archaicpixels. com) contains the most extensive compendium of TurboGrafx-16 technical
information.
TurboGrafx-16 (http:/ / www. turboviews. com) overview and review show!
Video of TurboGrafx-16 (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=pBv_L4AsMUI) and PC Engine hardware and
features from FamicomDojo.TV (http:/ / famicomdojo. tv/ season2/ )
TurboGrafx-16 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ NEC) at DMOZ
306
Fifth Generation Game Consoles
Panasonic FZ-1 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
Developer The 3DO Company
Manufacturer Panasonic, Sanyo and GoldStar (now LG Corp)
Generation Fifth generation era
Retail availability
NA
October 4, 1993
JP
March 20, 1994
EU
1994
Discontinued Late 1996
Media CD-ROM
CPU 32-bit 12.5MHz RISC CPU ARM60 based on ARM architecture
Online services Planned but canceled
Successor M2 (canceled)
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (often called simply the 3DO) is a video game console platform developed by
The 3DO Company. Conceived by entrepreneur and Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins, the 3DO was not a
console manufactured by the company itself, but a series of specifications, originally designed by Dave Needle and
R. J. Mical of New Technologies Group, that could be licensed by third parties. Panasonic produced the first models
in 1993, and further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and GoldStar (now LG Corp).
Despite a highly promoted launch (including being named Time magazine's "1994 Product of the Year") and a host
of cutting-edge technologies, the 3DO's high price, and an oversaturated console market prevented the system from
achieving success comparable to veteran competitors Sega and Nintendo.
Since its discontinuation in late 1996, the 3DO has been frequently derided by video game historians.
307
History
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was originally conceived by The 3DO Company, founded in 1991 by Electronic
Arts founder Trip Hawkins. The company's objective was to create a next-generation, CD-based video
game/entertainment standard which would be manufactured by various partners and licensees; 3DO would collect a
royalty on each console sold and on each game manufactured. To game publishers, the low $3 royalty rate per game
was a better deal than the higher royalties paid to Nintendo and Sega when making games for their consoles. The
3DO hardware itself was designed by Dave Needle and R.J. Mical, starting from an outline on a restaurant napkin in
1989. Trip Hawkins recalled,
I'd actually known those guys for a while and we are kindred spirits ... and it turned out that they had
already started working on designing a next generation system and they had made some very important
decisions that were the same decisions that I would have made (architecture and approach). Rather than
me start a brand new team and starting from scratch it just made a lot of sense to ... join forces with them
and shape what they were doing into what I wanted it to be.
The 3DO Company lacked the resources to manufacture consoles themselves, and instead licensed the hardware to
other companies for manufacturing. Trip Hawkins recounted that they approached every electronics manufacturer,
but that their chief targets were Sony and Panasonic, the two largest consumer electronics companies in the world.
However, Sony had already begun development on their own console, the PlayStation, and ultimately decided to
continue work on it rather than sign with 3DO. Panasonic launched the 3DO with its FZ-1 model in 1993, though
Goldstar and Sanyo would later manufacture the 3DO as well.
Licensing to independent manufacturers made the system extremely expensive. The manufacturers had to make a
profit on the hardware itself, whereas most major game console manufacturers, such as Sega and Sony, sold their
systems at a loss, with expectations of making up for the loss with software sales. Some sources claim that 3DO was
priced at $699, far above competing game systems and aimed at high-end users and early adopters. Hawkins has
argued that 3DO was launched at $599, and not "higher myths that are often reported."
[1]
In a later interview,
Hawkins clarified that while the suggested retail price was $699, few retailers sold the system at that price. Goldstar,
Sanyo, and Panasonic's later models were less expensive to manufacture than the FZ-1 and were sold for
considerably lower prices. For example, the Goldstar model launched at $399. In addition, after six months on the
market, the price of the FZ-1 had dropped to $499, leading some to contend that the 3DO's cost was not as big a
factor in its market failure as is usually claimed.
The launch of the platform in October 1993 received a great deal of attention in the press as part of the "multimedia
wave" in the computer world at the time. Return Fire, Road Rash, FIFA International Soccer, and Jurassic Park
Interactive had been slated for launch releases but were pushed to mid-1994 due to the developers' struggles with the
then-cutting-edge hardware. The only 3DO software available at launch was the third-party game Crash 'n Burn.
Price drops announced in February 1996 were perceived in the industry to be an effort to improve market penetration
before the release of the promised successor to 3DO: the M2. Heavy promotional efforts on the YTV variety show
It's Alive and a stream of hinted product expandability supported that idea. Eventually, however, the M2 project was
scrapped altogether.
The 3DO system was eventually discontinued at the end of 1996 with a complete shutdown of all internal hardware
development and divestment of the M2 technology. 3DO restructured themselves around this same time,
repositioning their internal software development house as a multi-platform company supporting the PlayStation,
Sega Saturn, and computer platforms.
The higher quality of later CD-ROM based systems that emerged in the mid-90s,Wikipedia:Citation needed the
uneven quality of the games, and the initial high price point are all considered to be among the many issues that led
to the 3DO's demise.
308
Variants
Panasonic FZ-10 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive
Multiplayer
GoldStar (LG) 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
Due to the licensing method employed by 3DO a number of different
manufacturers produced the 3DO system for the market. The
Panasonic versions are the best known and most common.
Panasonic FZ-1 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan,
Asia, North America and Europe) The first 3DO system, which
was initially priced at $699.99 in the U.S. The price was later
reduced to $399.99 in the fall of 1994.
Panasonic FZ-10 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan,
North America and Europe) Released a year or two after the FZ-1.
It is a less expensive, slimmer and lighter model and replaced the
FZ-1 in Panasonic's portfolio. The FZ-10 featured a top loading CD
tray, an internal memory manager and repositioned the LEDs and
controller port. The controller is also smaller and lighter than the
one included with the FZ-1, but lacks a headphones output.
Panasonic ROBO 3DO (Japan only) A FZ-1 custom console,
fitted with a five disc CD drive.
GoldStar 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (South Korea, North America and Europe) The GoldStar (LG)
GDO-101M unit, released a year after the FZ-1, is similar in physical appearance to the Panasonic model.
However, due to hardware differences and file processing limitations, incompatibilities with some games were
reported.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Sanyo TRY 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan only) The TRY is the rarest of all 3DO systems and was
only released in Japan in medium quantities before the whole 3DO system disappeared.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Creative 3DO Blaster A PC ISA expansion card with a double-speed CD-ROM drive and one controller that
enables compatible Windows-based PCs to play 3DO games. Produced by Creative Labs.
Hardware
The original edition of the console, the FZ-1, was referred to in full as the 3DO REAL Interactive Multiplayer. The
console had advanced hardware features at the time: an ARM60 32-bit RISC CPU, two custom video coprocessors, a
custom 16-bit DSP and a custom math co-processor. It also featured 2megabytes (MB) of DRAM, 1MB of VRAM,
and a double speed CD-ROM drive for main CD+Gs or Photo CDs (and Video CDs with an add-on MPEG video
module). The 3DO included the first light synthesizer in a game console, converting CD music to a mesmerizing
color pattern.
The 3DO is one of few CD-based units that feature neither regional lockout nor copy protection, making it easy to
use pirated software. Although there is no regional lockout present in any 3DO machine, a few Japanese games
cannot be played on non-Japanese 3DO consoles due to a special kanji font which English language consoles could
not read. Games that have compatibility issues include Sword and Sorcery (which was released in English under the
title Lucienne's Quest), the adult video game Twinkle Knights and a demo version of Alone in the Dark.
309
The FZ-1's RISC CPU
Processor
32-bit 12.5MHz RISC CPU (ARM60)
Custom Math co-processor (It does not use the stock ARM FPA
unit.)
32KB SRAM
Panasonic FZ-1 "Clio" graphics accelerator
Panasonic FZ-1 "Madam" graphics accelerator
Display
Resolution 640480 (interpolated), 320240 (actual) 60Hz for
NTSC version, and 768576 (interpolated), 384288 (actual) 50Hz
for PAL version with either 16 bit palettized color (from 24 bits) or
24 bit truecolor.
Two accelerated video co-processors capable of producing 916
million pixels per second (3664 megapix/s interpolated), distorted,
scaled, rotated and texture mapped.
System board
50MB/s bus speed (synchronous 32-bit @12.5MHz bus)
36 DMA channels
2MB of main RAM
1MB of VRAM
2 expansion ports
Sound
16-bit stereo sound
44.1kHz sound sampling rate
Supports Dolby Surround sound
Custom 20-bit Digital signal processor (DSP) 20 bit accumulator
with 16-bit parameter registers for extended precision
Media
Double-speed (depending on manufacturer) 300kB/s data transfer
CD-ROM drive with 32KB RAM buffer
Multitasking 32-bit operating system
310
Connectivity
Audio & Video
RF Switch An RF connector can be used with older TVs that lack direct video inputs. The 3DO output is
compatible with most existing video console switches, including those made for the NES/SNES, Sega Master
System/Genesis, & NEC Turbo Grafix RF. This provides a relatively low quality but universally compatible
video signal.
Composite RCA The 3DO features standard composite video and audio ports (yellow/red/white RCA
connectors) that are compatible with off the shelf cables also used on DVD players and certain other video
devices and games consoles, as well as older computer video monitors.
S-Video Except for the Goldstar GDO-101M model, the 3DO also offers an S-Video connector for enhanced
picture quality on more advanced televisions.
Power
All 3DO consoles have integrated power supplies. Some models (Panasonic 3DO FZ-1, Sanyo TRY 3DO, and
Goldstar 3DO) have hardwired power cords, others (Panasonic 3DO FZ-10) use an IEC C7P "figure 8" power cord.
All North American model specifications are AC 120V 60Hz 30W.
Basic accessories
Among the accessories shipped standard with most 3DO systems were a/v and power cables along with one standard
controller. The 3DO controllers were unique in that the system base unit contained only one controller port and the
controllers could be physically daisy chained together via a port on the back of each controller. Up to eight
controllers could be linked together in this fashion. All controllers for each 3DO console are compatible with one
another.
In addition, standard 3DO controllers released with the Panasonic FZ-1 also contained a headphone jack and volume
control for silent play. The Goldstar (LG) model also included a controller with this feature.
Third party controllers were produced by a number of companies including Logitech.
Light gun
The only light gun ever released for the 3DO was the Gamegun, a product of third-party developer American Laser
Games. Despite this, no fewer than 10 games with light gun support were produced for the system. Most of these
were arcade ports from American Laser Games (including the infamous Mad Dog McCree), but Virgin Interactive
and Digital Pictures also released 3DO light gun games. The 3DO Gamegun uses the same design as the Gamegun
released for the Sega CD: an orange "Old West" revolver. Select Gameguns house a controller port so that another
Gamegun may be daisy-chained for two-player gaming, which is supported in most of American Laser Games's 3DO
titles. Though no light gun was released for the 3DO in Japan, the Japanese localizations of Demolition Man and
Corpse Killer retain light gun support, and could be played by Japanese gamers using imported Gameguns.
Mouse
Panasonic and Logitech both released the 3DO mouse. The Panasonic FZ-JM1 and Logitech 3DO mouse are
identical aside from their markings. Fewer than 20 games supported its use, some of which were optimized for the
standard controller or light gun rather than the mouse. Of the 3DO games which were optimized for use with the
mouse, the most well-known are Myst and Lemmings. The Panasonic mouse was also bundled with Konami's
Policenauts Limited Edition in Japan which came with a Policenauts mouse pad.
311
Steering Wheel
Home Arcade Systems released a steering wheel for the 3DO which is supported by several racing titles, including
The Need for Speed.
FZ-EM256 3DO Memory Expansion Unit
The Panasonic FZ-EM256 is a 256KB Expandable Memory Unit that plugs into the 3DO Expansion bay on the
back of the console. Released in 1994 and sold in Japan only, but is compatible with all models. It came with a
Storage Manager start up disc that is required to use the unit.
FZ-AK1 3DO Karaoke Mixer
The Panasonic 3DO Karaoke Mixer allows 3DO owners to play a standard music CD, turn the vocals down, plug
in one or two microphones and sing over the music. This unit was not released in all markets.
Games
See also: List of 3DO games
Some of the best-received titles were ports of arcade or PC games that other cartridge-based systems of the time
were not capable of playing, such as Alone in the Dark, Myst and Star Control II. Other popular titles included Total
Eclipse, Jurassic Park Interactive, Gex, Crash 'n Burn, Slayer, Killing Time, The Need for Speed, Road Rash, and
Immercenary. The 3DO version of arcade title Samurai Shodown was the only port with faithful graphics for some
time, and the 3DO Super Street Fighter II Turbo was the first and arguably the best port with its CD-quality audio.
Since its release coincided with the arrival of the modern first-person shooter, the 3DO also had some of the earliest
members of the genre as exclusives, such as Escape from Monster Manor, the previously mentioned Killing Time,
and PO'ed, as well as ports of Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.
However, the 3DO library also exhibited less successful aspects of home gaming at the time. It was launched at the
dawn of CD-ROM gaming, and early titles on 3DO (and Mega-CD alike) frequently attempted to use interactive
movie-style gameplay. Such titles rendered all or nearly all of their graphics in full motion video, which necessitated
that any interactive influence from the player be limited to a greater extent than other games of the time. Some
games followed a single unfolding of events simply by correctly timed prompts executed by the player. Night Trap,
Mad Dog McCree, and The Daedalus Encounter are some of the more notorious titles from this era. Also, digital
video was of very low quality at the time, especially on low-cost consumer devices.
Due to the 3DO's struggles on the market, the game series The Need for Speed and Gex were moved to more popular
platforms like the PlayStation and Windows. However, the 3DO hit Return Fire achieved only limited success with
its rereleases.
Aborted successor
The 3DO Company designed a next-generation console that was never released due to various business and
technological issues. The M2 project, which began as an accelerator add-on for the 3DO, was to use dual PowerPC
602 processors in addition to newer 3D and video rendering technologies. Late during development, the company
abandoned the console hardware business and sold the M2 technology to Matsushita. While Matsushita initially
claimed to be planning a game console with the technology, it was shortly thereafter re-branded for the kiosk market
competing with the CD-i system.
Konami later made an M2-based arcade board. Games ran straight from the CD-ROM drive causing long load times
and a high failure rate due to the CD-ROM being continuously in-use.
312
Market competition
Video game (primary market at launch)
Commodore Amiga 1200
Commodore Amiga CD32
NEC PC Engine with Super CD-ROM expansion
Nintendo's SNES
Sega Mega Drive with Mega CD expansion
Atari Jaguar
Video game (primary market at end-of-life)
Sega's Saturn
Sony's PlayStation
High-end A/V (secondary market) (multi-purpose audio/video systems)
Commodore's CDTV
Philips' CD-i
Pioneer's LaserActive
Reception
The 3DO was awarded Worst Console Launch of 1993 by Electronic Gaming Monthly. In a special Game Machine
Cross Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsshin would score the 3DO Real console a 26 out of 40.
[2]
Citing a lack of decent exclusives and an "astronomical asking price", in 2009 video game website IGN chose the
3DO as its 22nd greatest video game console of all time, slightly higher than the Atari Jaguar but lower than its four
other major competitors: the SNES (4th best), the Sega Genesis (5th), the PlayStation (7th), and the Sega Saturn
(18th). On Yahoo! Games the 3DO was placed among the top five worst console launches due to its one-game
launch lineup and high launch price. Gaming retrospectives have also frequently accused the 3DO of having an
abundance of poor quality interactive movies.
Trip Hawkins' business model for selling 3DO was widely derided by industry figures.
Emulation
4DO
[3]
is working on a 3DO emulator based on the FreeDO
[4]
source code. Most games are now playable with
minor issues.[5]
References
[1] Ramsay, M. (2012). Trip Hawkins. Gamers at Work: Stories Behind the Games People Play (pp. 1-15). New York: Apress.
[2] GAME MACHINE CROSS REVIEW: 3DO . Weekly Famicom Tsshin. No.335. Pg.167. 1219 May 1995.
[3] http:/ / www. fourdo. com/
[4] http:/ / www. freedo.org/
[5] http:/ / wiki. fourdo. com/ index. php?title=Compatibility_List
313
External links
3DO (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ 3DO) at DMOZ
This article is based on material taken from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing prior to 1 November 2008 and
incorporated under the "relicensing" terms of the GFDL, version 1.3 or later.
Amiga CD32
314
Amiga CD32
Commodore Amiga CD32
Manufacturer Commodore
Retail availability
EU
September 17, 1993
Discontinued April 1994
Units sold Approximately 100 000 in Europe.
Media CD-ROM
Operating system AmigaOS 3.1
CPU Motorola 68EC020 @ 14.18 MHz (PAL) 14.32 MHz (NTSC)
Memory 2 MB
Input Gamepad
Backward
compatibility
Commodore CDTV
The Amiga CD32, styled "CD
32
" (code-named "Spellbound"), was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based video game
console released in western Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil. It was first announced at the Science Museum in
London, United Kingdom on 16 July 1993, and was released in September of the same year. The CD32 is based on
Commodore's Advanced Graphics Architecture chipset, and is of similar specification to the Amiga 1200 computer.
Using 3rd-party devices, it is possible to upgrade the CD32 with keyboard, floppy drive, hard drive and mouse,
turning it into an Amiga 1200 personal computer. A hardware MPEG decompression module for playing Video CD
was also available. In the Christmas period following its launch, the CD32 accounted for 38% of all CD-ROM drive
sales in the UK, exceeding sales of the Mega-CD; however it was soon overshadowed by CD-ROM based games
consoles from other companies.
Release
The CD32 was released in Canada and was planned for release in the United States. However, a deadline was
reached for Commodore to pay 10 million USD in patent royalty to Cad Track (U.S. Patent 4,197,590
[1]
) for their
use of their XOR patent.
[2]
A federal judge ordered an injunction against Commodore preventing them from
importing anything into the United States. Commodore had built up CD32 inventory in their Philippine
manufacturing facility for the United States launch, but, being unable to sell the consoles, they remained in the
Philippines until the debts owed to the owners of the facility were settled. Commodore declared bankruptcy shortly
afterwards, and the CD32 was never officially sold in the United States. However, imported models did come over
the border from Canada, and many stores in the United States (primarily mail-order stores) imported units for
domestic sale. During the long bankruptcy proceedings, Commodore UK also provided some hardware components
Amiga CD32
315
and software for the American market, including production of the MPEG Video Module that was not officially
released by Commodore International.
On its release, the CD32 was marketed by Commodore as "the world's first 32-bit CD games console". Although it
was indeed the first such machine released in Europe and North America, it was beaten to market by seven months
by the FM Towns Marty, a console released exclusively in Japan. However, the CD32's 68EC020 processor has a
32-bit data bus both internally and externally, while the 386SX in the FM Towns Marty has a 16-bit data bus
externally.
Ultimately, Commodore was not able to meet demand for new units because of component supply problems. Sales of
the CD32 in Europe were not enough to save Commodore, and the bankruptcy of Commodore International in April
1994 caused the CD32 to be discontinued only months after its debut. During the brief Amiga CD32 presence in the
market, approximately 100,000 units of it were sold in Europe alone.
Specifications
The CD32's controller Amiga CD32 Mainboard
Back of CD32
Attribute Specification
Processor Motorola 68EC020 at 14.32 MHz (NTSC) or 14.18 MHz (PAL)
RAM 2 MB Amiga Chip RAM
ROM 1 MB Kickstart ROM with CD32 firmware
1kB non-volatile EEPROM memory for game saves
Chipset Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA)
Additional Akiko chip (CD-ROM controller and performs chunky to planar graphics conversion)
Video 24-bit color palette (16.8 million colors)
Up to 256 on-screen colors in indexed mode
262 144 on-screen colors in HAM-8 mode
Resolutions from:
320200 to 1280400i (NTSC)
320256 to 1280512i (PAL)
Audio 4 8-bit PCM channels (2 stereo channels)
28kHz maximum DMA sampling rate
Removable
storage
Double-speed (300 kB/s) CD-ROM drive (proprietary MKE controller)
Amiga CD32
316
Input/Output ports Front:
Headphone jack 3.5 mm TRS stereo jack with volume control
Left (left to right):
2 Mouse/Gamepad ports (DE9M)
RS-232 serial AUX port and for keyboard etc. (6-pin mini-DIN)
Back (left to right):
Expansion slot behind a plate
Power switch
Power input for +5V DC 2.2A and +12V DC 500mA (4-pin DIN)
RF audio/video out (RCA) and channel adjust
S-Video out (4-pin mini-DIN) However French versions had 8-pin Mini-DIN instead with RGB signals.
Composite video out (RCA)
Audio out Left & Right (2 RCA)
Expansion slots 182-pin expansion socket for official MPEG decoder cartridge or third party devices such as the SX-1 and SX32 expansion
packs
Operating system AmigaOS 3.1 (Kickstart 3.1 and CD32 firmware)
Accessories
The CD32 can be enhanced using these devices: ProModule, Paravision SX-1 and DCE SX-32 (which optionally
includes 68030 CPU).
Those devices extend the capability of Amiga CD32, allowing it to utilize hardware such as an external 3.5" floppy
disk drive, hard disk and IBM PC keyboard. An Amiga CD32 can be turned into a de facto Amiga 1200 via the
addition of third-party packages. The SX-1 appears to have been designed around Commodore's mechanical specs
and not the actual production units it did not fit very well and requires an internal 'modification' to fit properly.
Consequently, the SX-1 can be jarred loose if the console is not handled gently. The upgraded SX-32 expansion pack
(which included a 68030 25 MHz processor) solves these problems.
Not wishing to repeat its earlier mistake of offering a way to turn a CD32 into an enhanced A1200 as it did with the
A500-based CDTV, Commodore itself made no hardware available for that purpose. One of its last hardware
designs, however, was an external CD-ROM drive for the A1200 that featured the CD32's Akiko chip, thus turning
any A1200 into a CD32-compatible system.
In addition to its own special controllers, the Amiga CD32 is also compatible with most 9-pin D-Sub controllers
from the 80s and 90s, including the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis controllers, Sega Master System controllers, and all
Amiga/C64 joysticks as well as Amiga mice and paddles.
CDs created for the CD32 conform to ISO 9660 level2, mode1; although the Rock Ridge and Joliet extensions are
not compatible.
Software
See also: Amiga games, Amiga demos and List of Games on the Amiga CD32
If the system is turned on without a CD, a splash screen with scrolling colours will appear and a tune will play. After
this tune ends, the user can press the blue button on the game pad to enter a language selection menu. The user can
also press the red button to access a menu where they can view the contents of the internal Flash ROM. Unlike most
game consoles, this menu does not allow the user to delete items. Instead, the system will automatically overwrite
the oldest entries when memory runs out. The menu allows the user to "lock" files to prevent overwriting.
The CD32 launch bundle includes two games, Diggers, a new game from Millennium Interactive, and Oscar from
Flair Software. A later pack includes the one-on-one fighting game Dangerous Streets, a move by Commodore that
was met with derision by the press. Many reviewers had given Dangerous Streets terrible scores (Amiga Power
Amiga CD32
317
rating it just 3%) and were surprised that with a slew of powerful rival consoles about to hit the market, Commodore
would choose to show off the abilities of its machine with a poor game.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The CD32 is capable of running most of the titles developed for the Amiga CDTV multimedia device, but
differences in CPU speed and Kickstart version prevent some of the earlier CDTV titles from running. Many of the
games released for the CD32 are simply ports of games that are already available for Amiga computers. One benefit
of this is that, when appropriate, many games retain the ability to use an Amiga mouse (in port 2) or Amiga keyboard
(plugged into the AUX port).
Like all later Amiga computers, the CD32 has a hidden boot menu that can be accessed by plugging an Amiga
mouse into port 2 and holding both buttons down while turning the system on. Most of the options in this menu are
not useful on a CD32, but from this menu the user can choose to boot in either NTSC or PAL mode. This is
important, as there are some games that will not work if the system is in the wrong mode, and most games don't
advertise what video mode they were developed for. Despite the naming, the menu really only allows a choice of 60
Hz or 50 Hz video output; a PAL system booted in NTSC mode will still output a video signal using PAL color
encoding, which will usually result in a black-and-white picture when connected to an NTSC television.
While the console was fairly successful during its lifespan and managed to be the best-selling CD format console in
1993, it was not able to sustain its growth, with Commodore filing for Chapter 11 just 7 months after its release after
not being able to secure additional CD32 shipments for the holiday season.Wikipedia:Citation needed It was
speculated that the holiday season could have kept Commodore afloat for another six months.Wikipedia:Citation
needed Another problem was the lack of original games, which had also plagued the CDTV before it.
The CD32 arrived at a time when new, technically demanding genres such as the first person shooter were becoming
popular. The console was not capable of handling some or all of these new types of genres (the hardware is far less
powerful than Atari Jaguar or 3DO), games developers saw more profit in shovelware taking an older game and
either adding an FMV intro or even just directly transferring a floppy game onto CD. A few pieces of original
software did appear and some were well receivedWikipedia:Citation needed but by and large the CD32 found itself
with a software library mainly containing titles that were up to five years old and which much of the machine's target
audience already owned. Given that, along with the fact that 'hot' games like Doom and Virtua Fighter were planned
for release on the CD32's competitors, many observers blamed shovelware for the machine's relative
failure.Wikipedia:Citation needed
However, a large fan base carried over from the success of other Amiga computers. Several notable titles, such as
Dark Seed, Microcosm, Liberation: Captive 2, Simon the Sorcerer, Super Stardust and Zool 2 also maintained the
console's relevance.
Notable deployments
In 1993, 109 units of CD32s were installed to run the interactive exhibits at the London Transport Museum, Covent
Garden. They provided information, animations, pictures, sound and text available in several languages, as well as a
London Underground simulator. The systems were produced by the Odiham, Hampshire-based company Index
Information, utilising their CD32x interface units.
In 1995, an Italian company named CD Express used the CD32 as a basis for an arcade machine called "CUBO
CD32".
[3]
Inside these machines, stock CD32s were hooked up to an external circuit board which essentially acted as
a converter to route all the input and output into a standard JAMMA connector for use in an arcade cabinet. The
software was provided on CD-ROM. Nine games are known to exist, all of which are original games created by CD
Express.
In the mid to late 1990s, some vehicle registries in Canada utilized CD32 systems for interactive multimedia testing
for drivers license applications.
Amiga CD32
318
In the late 1990s to early 2000s, slot machine manufacturer StarGames utilized a stripped down CD32 motherboard
in many of their slot machines. Machines confirmed to be operating on CD32 hardware are Hawaiian Delight,
Leprechaun Luck, and Mister Magic.
From 1994 to 1997, Sylvan Learning Systems used CD 32 systems in their Wall Street Institute learning centers.
Main features were software with voice tone recognition, interactive activities and very focused on listening. Those
consoles had a floppy disk drive unit attached, with a clock unit, for saving students progress and sharing them with
teachers. Data was stored in central database and the system offered an advanced multimedia environment with
statistics. It was replaced with PC systems after some years of intensive use and a very strong stock of spare consoles
and pieces.
References
[1] http:/ / www. google. com/ patents/ US4197590
[2] [2] Perelman, M: "Steal This Idea", page 60. Palgrave Macmillan, 2004
[3] http:/ / www. amiga-hardware. com/ showhardware.cgi?HARDID=36
External links
amigacd32.com: Project CD32: Amiga CD32 database (http:/ / www. amigacd32. com)
amiga.resource.cx: Amiga hardware database - Commodore CD32 (http:/ / amiga. resource. cx/ mod/ cd32. html)
bigbookofamigahardware.com: CD32 - Commodore (http:/ / www. bigbookofamigahardware. com/ bboah/
product. aspx?id=32)
voxelarcade.com: List of some of the best CD32 games (http:/ / voxelarcade. com/ opinion/
list-of-the-best-cd32-games-ever)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amiga CD32.
Apple Bandai Pippin
319
Apple Bandai Pippin
Pippin
The Bandai Pippin (Atmark Player) and wireless controller
Developer Apple Computer
Manufacturer Bandai
Type Multimedia player, video game console
Release date
JP
March 28, 1996
NA
September 1, 1996
Introductory price US$599
Discontinued 1997
Units sold 42,000
Media CD-ROM
CPU PowerPC 603 RISC (66 MHz)
Graphics "Taos" (VGA/16-bit)
Controller input "AppleJack": control pad with embedded trackball
Connectivity 14.4, 28.8, 33.6 kbit/s modems
Online services PSINet/@World
Predecessor Playdia
The Apple Bandai Pippin is a multimedia technology console, designed by Apple Computer. The console was
based on the Apple Pippin platform a derivative of the Apple Macintosh platform. Bandai produced the ATMARK
and @WORLD consoles between 1995 and 1997.
The goal of the Bandai Pippin was to create an inexpensive computer aimed mostly at playing CD-based multimedia
software, especially games, but also functioning as a network computer. The operating system was basically a
stripped version of System 7.5.2, and was based on a 66 MHz PowerPC 603 processor and a 14.4 kb/s modem. It
featured a 4-speed CD-ROM drive and a video output that could connect to a standard television display.
Apple Bandai Pippin
320
Marketing
In Japan, Bandai produced Pippin-based systems called the Pippin Atmark ( Pipin
AttomkuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets). Most of the Atmark systems used the same platinum color used on
many of the Apple Macintosh models at the time.
In the United States and most parts of Europe, Bandai named the system the Bandai Pippin @WORLD (pronounced
"at-world"). The @WORLD had the same specifications as the Pippin Atmark, but ran an English version of Mac
OS. Most of the western systems used a black color.
History
For more details on this topic, see Apple Pippin.
Bandai manufactured fewer than 100,000 Pippins, but reportedly sold 42,000 systems before discontinuing the line.
Production of the system was so limited, there were more keyboard and modem accessories produced than actual
systems.
[1]
In May 2006, the Pippin placed 22nd in PC World's list of the "25 Worst Tech Products of All Time."
[2]
Software
Japan
Very little software was produced for the Japanese version on release in early 1995. While some promised software
may not have been released, the number that was released is less than 80 games and applications.
[3]
USA
When Bandai released the U.S. version, it had only 18 games and applications sold separately, and six CDs came
with the Pippin itself. Upgrades to the Pippin Browser were released as a new CD over time, and so was an update to
TV Works (a text and drawing program).
JEROME
CineNoir
Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia
Cool Crafts
Exotic Sushi
Gus Goes to Cyberopolis
Gus Goes to the Kooky Carnival in search of Rant
Home Improvement 1-2-3
Katz Pippin Demo CD 2.0
Movieoke
Mr. Potato Head Saves Veggie Valley
Navigator
Pegasus Prime
Power Rangers Zeo Vs. The Machine Empire
Playskool Puzzles
Play-Doh Creations
Racing Days
Super Marathon
Terror T.R.A.X.
TV Works
Apple Bandai Pippin
321
Accessories
An AppleJack controller
AppleJack controller
AppleJack Wireless (IR) controller
Pippin keyboard with drawing tablet
Pippin Modems (14.4, 28.8, 33.6kbit/s)
Pippin memory (2, 4, 8, 16MB)
Pippin Floppy Dock
Pippin MO 256MB optical disk
Pippin ADB adapter (for connecting Macintosh
devices to Pippin)
Pippin to Macintosh (ADB) adapter (for connecting
Pippin devices to Macintosh)
Printers
Pippin can use the Apple Color StyleWriter 2400 and 2500 series through its serial port.
References
[1] Assembler (via Archive.org). Apple Bandai Pippin (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080321013705/ http:/ / assembler. roarvgm. com/
Apple_Bandai_pippin/ apple_bandai_pippin.html). Retrieved March 21, 2008.
[2] The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time: 22. Apple Pippin @World (1996) (http:/ / www. pcworld. com/ reviews/ article/
0,aid,125772,pg,6,00. asp#pippin) (Dan Tynan, PCWorld, May 26, 2006)
[3] The most accurate list of Pippin titles (http:/ / web. mac. com/ sebangulo/ Pippin/ About_the_Pippin. html). Retrieved September 14, 2009.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apple Pippin.
Most complete database of pictures of Pippin Hardware and Games (http:/ / dl. dropbox. com/ u/ 25048571/ Sites/
Pippin/ Welcome. html)
Apple's original Pippin site (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 19970129095612/ http:/ / www. pippin. apple. com/ )
Katz Media mission statement on the Pippin (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 19970601023829/ www. katzmedia.
com/ company. html)
Bandai Pippin Museum & Archive, including PDF Technical Notes (http:/ / www. macgeek. org/ museum/
pippin/ )
Overview (http:/ / lowendmac. com/ coventry/ 06/ apple-pippin. html)
Pippin screenshots (http:/ / www. flickr. com/ photos/ mac-collection/ sets/ 72157623547637210)
The Computer Chronicles' coverage of CES 1996, including Apple's demonstration of the Pippin (http:/ / www.
archive. org/ details/ CC1320_winter_ces_1996)
Gil Amelio's gold-finish Pippin at the Computer History Museum (http:/ / www. computerhistory. org/ revolution/
computer-games/ 16/ 210/ 899)
Top 10 Apple products that flopped (http:/ / www. newlaunches. com/ archives/
top_10_apple_products_which_flopped. php)
Atari Jaguar
322
Atari Jaguar
Atari Jaguar
Manufacturer Atari Corporation
Retail availability
NA
November 15, 1993
JP
November 21, 1994
EU
Q4, 1994
Discontinued 1996
Units sold
250,000 or fewer
[1]
Media ROM cartridge, CD-ROM (Add-On)
CPU multi-processor
Predecessor Atari XE Game System
The Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1993. It was the last to be
marketed under the Atari brand until the release of the Atari Flashback in 2004. It was designed to surpass the Mega
Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Panasonic 3DO in processing power. Although
launched one year earlier, it was eventually in competition with the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, and other consoles
that made up the fifth generation of video game consoles. The console was first released in New York City and San
Francisco in 1993, and the rest of the US in early 1994. Although it was marketed as the first 64-bit gaming system,
the Jaguar proved to be a commercial failure and prompted Atari to leave the home video game console market.
Despite its commercial failure, the Jaguar has a dedicated fan base that produces homebrew games for it. It was the
last console from an American company until the 2001 introduction of Microsoft's Xbox.
Development
The Jaguar was developed by the members of Flare Technology, a company formed by Martin Brennan and John
Mathieson. The team had claimed that they could not only make a console superior to the Sega Genesis or the Super
Nintendo Entertainment System, but they could also be cost-effective.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Impressed by their work on the Konix Multisystem, Atari persuaded them to close Flare and form a new company
called Flare II, with Atari providing the funding.Wikipedia:Citation needed Flare II initially set to work designing
two consoles for Atari Corp. One was a 32-bit architecture (codenamed "Panther"), and the other was a 64-bit system
(codenamed "Jaguar"); however, work on the Jaguar design progressed faster than expected, so Atari Corp. canceled
the Panther project to focus on the more promising Jaguar.
Atari Jaguar
323
Reception
The standard controller was criticized for complexeity of
design.
The Jaguar was introduced in 1993 at a price of $249.99,
under a $500 million manufacturing deal with IBM. The
system was initially marketed only in the New York City and
the San Francisco Bay areas, under the slogan "Do the Math",
claiming superiority over competing 16-bit and 32-bit
systems. A US-wide release followed in early 1994.
The Atari Jaguar struggled to attain a substantial user base. In
1993, Atari reported that they had shipped 17,000 units as part
of the system's initial test market.
[2]
By the end of 1994, Atari
reported that they had sold approximately 100,000 systems
and had reduced the price to improve the competitive nature
of the console.
[3]
By the end of 1995, Sony and Sega had
entered the marketplace with competing consoles and Atari's
sales declined rapidly. In their 1995 annual report, they noted:
"Jaguar sales were substantially below Atari's expectations,
and Atari's business and financial results were materially adversely affected in 1995 as Atari continued to invest
heavily in Jaguar game development, entered into arrangements to publish certain licensed titles and reduced the
retail price for its Jaguar console unit. Atari attributes the poor performance of Jaguar to a number of factors
including (i) extensive delays in development of software for the Jaguar which resulted in reduced orders due to
consumer concern as to when titles for the platform would be released and how many titles would ultimately be
available, and (ii) the introduction of competing products by Sega and Sony in May 1995 and September 1995,
respectively."
[4]
Jaguar did earn praise with titles such as Tempest 2000, Doom, and Wolfenstein 3D.
[5]
The most successful title
during the Jaguar's first year was Alien vs. Predator.
[6]
Both it and Tempest 2000 were named among the system's
defining titles by GamePro in 2007. With such a small library of games to challenge the incumbent 16-bit game
consoles, Jaguar's appeal never grew beyond a small gaming audience.
In 2006 IGN editor Craig Harris rated the Jaguar controller as the worst ever, criticizing the complexity of the
"phone keypad" and the VGA-style D-subminiature connector. A version that has six action buttons, the Pro
Controller, is suggested for certain games.
Lack of titles was attributable to two main factors: the Jaguar's questionable long-term prospects among third-party
game-publishers and the problematic nature of developing games for the Jaguar. Atari had one opportunity to
convince third-party developers, vital for the diversity of Jaguar's game library, with a solid retail-performance, but
as things played out, post-holiday sales figures questioned the viability of Atari's business; Atari failed to attract
many third-party developers already committed to other game platforms. In addition, the Jaguar's underlying
hardware was crippled by a flaw in the CPU's memory controller, which prevented code execution out of system
RAM. Less severe, but still annoying defects included a buggy UART. The memory controller flaw could have been
mitigated by a mature code-development environment, to unburden the programmer from having to micromanage
small chunks of code. Jaguar's development tools left much to the programmer's own implementation, as
documentation was incomplete. Writing game-code was often an endurance exercise in the tedious assembler.
In a July 1995 interview with Next Generation, then-CEO Sam Tramiel declared that the Jaguar was as powerful, if
not more powerful, than the Sega Saturn, and slightly weaker than the PlayStation.
Atari Jaguar
324
The Pro Controller was released late in the system's life, but
added more face buttons and L/R triggers.
By the end of 1995, Atari's revenues declined by more than
half, from US$38.7 million in 1994 to $14.6 million in
1995.
[1]
In late 1995, Atari Corp. ran early-morning
infomercial advertisements with enthusiastic salesmen touting
the powerful game system. The infomercials ran most of the
year, but did not significantly sell the remaining stock of
Jaguar systems. In its 10-K405 SEC Filing, filed April 12,
1996, Atari informed their stockholders of the truly dire
nature of the Jaguar business:
From the introduction of Jaguar in late 1993
through the end of 1995, Atari sold
approximately 125,000 units of Jaguar. As of
December 31, 1995, Atari had approximately
100,000 units of Jaguar in inventory.
Atari had already suffered an ill-fated crash in the mid-1980s
as a result of the oversaturation of the video game market by third-party developers.
Production of the Jaguar ceased after Atari Corp. merged with JT Storage in a reverse takeover. In a last-ditch effort
to revive the Jaguar, Atari Corp. tried to play down the other two consoles by proclaiming the Jaguar was the only
"64-bit" system. This claim is questioned by some, because the CPU (68000) and GPU executed a 32-bit
instruction-set, but sent control signals to the 64-bit graphics co-processors (or "graphics accelerators"). Atari Corp.'s
position was that the mere presence of 64-bit ALUs for graphics was sufficient to validate the claim. Design specs
for the console allude to the GPU or DSP being capable of acting as a CPU, leaving the Motorola 68000 to read
controller inputs. In practice, however, many developers used the Motorola 68000 to drive gameplay logic.
Over the short life of the console, several add-on peripherals were announced. However, only the ProController, the
Atari Jaguar CD drive, and the JagLink (a simple two-console networking device) reached retail shelves. A voice
modem
[7]
and VR headset
[8]
(with infrared head-tracking) existed in prototype form, but were never commercialized
(see Loki and Konix Multisystem for early development).
Legacy
After the Atari Corporation properties were bought out by Hasbro Interactive in the late 1990s, Hasbro released the
rights to the Jaguar, declaring the console an open platform and opening the doors for homebrew development. A
few developers, including Telegames and Songbird Productions, have not only released previously unfinished
materials from the Jaguar's past, but also several brand new titles to satisfy the system's cult following.
In the United Kingdom in 2001, a deal was struck between Telegames and retailer Game to bring the Jaguar to
Game's retail outlets. The machine was initially sold for 29.99 brand new and the software was ranged between
9.99 for more common games such as Doom and Ruiner Pinball, and up to 39.99 for more sought-after releases
such as Defender 2000 and Checkered Flag. The machine had a presence in the stores until 2007 when remaining
consoles were sold off for 9.99 and games were sold for as low as 97p.
This deal was seen as a move to remain competitive with Game's rival at the time, Gamestation, who were well
known for stocking retro formats.
Imagin Systems, a manufacturer of dental imaging equipment, has since purchased the molding plates for the
Jaguar's casing as with minor modification they were found to be the right size for housing their HotRod camera.
The game cartridge molds were reused to create an optional memory expansion card.
The Jaguar continues to have a small and dedicated game development circle.
Atari Jaguar
325
The Jaguar utilized a multi-chip architecture that
was difficult for most developers to use.
From the Jaguar Software Reference manual, page 1:
Jaguar is a custom chip set primarily intended to be the
heart of a very high-performance games/leisure computer.
It may also be used as a graphics accelerator in more
complex systems, and applied to workstation and business
uses. As well as a general purpose CPU, Jaguar contains
four processing units. These are the Object Processor,
Graphics Processor, Blitter, and Digital Sound Processor.
Jaguar provides these blocks with a 64-bit data path to
external memory devices, and is capable of a very high
data transfer rate into external dynamic RAM.
Processors
"Tom" Chip, 26.59 MHz
Graphics processing unit (GPU) 32-bit RISC architecture, 4 KB internal cache, all graphics effects are
software based.
Core has some additional instructions intended for 3D operations
Object Processor 64-bit non-programmable; provides all video output from system.
Blitter 64-bit high speed logic operations, z-buffering and Gouraud shading, with 64-bit internal registers.
DRAM controller, 8, 16, 32 and 64-bit memory management
"Jerry" Chip, 26.59 MHz
Digital Signal Processor 32-bit RISC architecture, 8KB internal cache
Similar RISC core as the GPU, additional instructions intended for audio operations
CD-quality sound (16-bit stereo)
Number of sound channels limited by software
Two DACs (stereo) convert digital data to analog sound signals
Full stereo capabilities
Wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis, FM Sample synthesis, and AM synthesis
A clock control block, incorporating timers, and a UART
Joystick control
Motorola 68000 "used as a manager".
[9]
General purpose 16/32-bit control processor, 13.295MHz
The inputs and outputs of an NTSC Atari Jaguar
Other Jaguar features
RAM: 2MB on a 64-bit bus using 4 16-bit fast page
mode DRAMs
Storage: ROM cartridges up to 6MB
DSP-port (JagLink)
Monitor-port (Composite/S-Video/RGB)
Antenna-port (UHF/VHF) Fixed at 591MHz in
Europe
Not present on French model
Support for ComLynx I/O
Atari Jaguar
326
NTSC/PAL machines can be identified by their power LED colour, Red = NTSC, Green = PAL
Accessories
The Atari Jaguar CD and Pro Controller were
released shortly before Atari Corp discontinued
support for the system.
Atari Jaguar CD
The Atari Jaguar CD or Jag CD is a CD-ROM peripheral that sat on
top the Atari Jaguar video game console and plugged in through the
cartridge slot.
Memory Track
Released in 1995, the Atari Jaguar CD Memory Track is a cartridge
that contains a 128K EEPROM, allowing Atari Jaguar CD games to
save persistent data such as preferences and saved games. The Memory
Track Program Manager is accessed by pushing the option button while the system is starting, and exited by pushing
the * and # keys simultaneously.
[10][11]
Team Tap
The Atari Jaguar "Team Tap" is a multi-player adapter for use on certain Jaguar games. It was available by itself, or
as a pack-in with the four player game White Men Can't Jump. Each Team Tap supports up to 4 players; by plugging
Team Taps into both Jaguar controller ports, up to 8 players are supported.
[12]
The only games compatible with the
Team Tap are White Men Can't Jump and NBA Jam Tournament Edition.
Jaglink Interface
The Atari Jaguar "Jaglink Interface" enables players to hook two Atari Jaguars connected to two TVs together with a
phone cable, allowing multiplayer gaming on two separate screens. The only games to support this add-on are
DOOM, BattleSphere, and AirCars. The Jaglink is also used to connect the Jaguar to a PC for game development
using the JUGS DD (Jaguar Unmodified Game Server Dev Disc) dev system disk for Jaguar CD that was included in
BattleSphere Gold, which also came with the "JUGS Device" (a DB9 to phone cord adapter) to connect a PC to a
Jaguar via Jaglink.
[13]
Jaglink is also compatible with ICD's CatBox. Jaglink came in sets of two.
Atari Jaguar CD Bypass Cartridge
The Atari Jaguar CD Bypass Cartridge from B&C Computervisions allows players to boot unencrypted discs on an
Atari Jaguar CD system.
CatBox by ICD
The "CatBox" is an unofficial expansion peripheral for the Atari Jaguar released in 1996 by the Rockford, Illinois
company ICD. The ICD CatBox plugs directly into the AV/DSP connectors located in the rear of the Jaguar console
and provides three main functions. These are audio, video, and communications. It features six output formats, three
for audio (line level stereo, RGB monitor, headphone jack with volume control) and three for video (composite,
S-Video, and RGB analog component video) making the Jaguar compatible with multiple high quality monitor
systems and multiple monitors at the same time. It is capable of communications methods known as CatNet and
RS-232 as well as DSP pass through, allowing the user to connect two or more Jaguars together for multi player
games either directly or with modems. The ICD CatBox features a polished steel casing and red LEDs in the jaguar's
eyes on the logo that indicate communications activity. An IBM AT type null modem cable may be used to connect
Atari Jaguar
327
two Jaguars together.
[14]
The CatBox is also compatible with Atari's Jaglink Interface peripheral.
Atari Jaguar VR Headset Prototype
Atari developed several Virtual Reality headset prototypes for the Jaguar. There were two models, a blue and grey
high resolution unit, and a red and grey low resolution unit. After Atari merged with JTS in 1996, most of the
headsets were reportedly destroyed, but not all of them. Supposedly, there are only two working units known to be
left in existence. The only game released that was compatible with the Atari Jaguar VR Headset was Missile
Command 3D.
Atari Jaguar Cortina Web TV Adapter Prototype
An adaptor for the Jaguar that allows for WebTV access was revealed in 1998, one prototype is known to exist.
Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator aka Jaguar Voice Modem (JVM) Prototype
In 1994 at the CES, Atari announced that it partnered up with Phylon, Inc. to create the Jaguar Voice/Data
Communicator. The unit was delayed and eventually in 1995 mass production was canceled all together, but not
before an estimated 100 or so were made. The JVM as it became known, utilized a 19.9kbit/s dial up modem and had
the ability to answer incoming phone calls and store up to 18 phone numbers. Players were required to directly dial
each other for online game play. The only Jaguar game that supports the JVM is Ultra Vortek, the modem is
initialized in the Ultra Vortek start up screen by entering 911 on the key pad.
COJAG Arcade Games
Atari Games licensed the Atari Jaguar's chipset for use in its arcade games. The system, named COJAG (for
"Coin-Op Jaguar"), replaced the 68000 with a 68020 or MIPS R3000-based CPU (depending on the board version),
and added a hard drive and more RAM. It ran the lightgun games Area 51 and Maximum Force, which were released
by Atari as dedicated cabinets or as the Area 51/Maximum Force combo machine. Other games (3 On 3 Basketball;
Fishin' Frenzy; Freeze; Vicious Circle) were developed but never released.
Atari Jaguar Duo
The Atari Jaguar Duo was a proposed console similar to the Sega Neptune. It was an attempt by Atari to combine
the Atari Jaguar and Atari Jaguar CD to make a new console. It was never completed and was thus never released.
After cancelling the console, Atari was bought by Hasbro and ceased all console development.
References
[1] ATARI CORP Annual Report (Regulation S-K, item 405) (10-K405) ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL C (http:/ / google.brand. edgar-online. com/ EFX_dll/ EDGARpro. dll?FetchFilingHTML1?ID=261582&
SessionID=PwW3W68chGZucz7)
[2] [2] Atari Corporation Annual Report, 1993. pp 14.
[3] [3] Atari Corporation Annual Report. pp 11.
[4] Atari Corporation Annual Report, 1993 (http:/ / www.sec. gov/ Archives/ edgar/ data/ 802019/ 0000891618-96-000213. txt). pp 3.
[5] Atari Jaguar History (http:/ / www.atariage. com/ Jaguar/ history. html). AtariAge. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
[6] [6] Atari Corporation 1994 annual report. pp 3.
[7] Mowatt, Todd. Atari to Unleash new Jaguar CD and Jaguar III. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Issue 70. Pg 28. May 1995.
[8] Gaming Gossip. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Issue 70. Pg 54. May 1995.
[9] [9] Atari Jaguar Software Reference Manual, Atari Corp. 1995, Pg 2
[10] [10] Atari Jaguar CD Memory Track instruction card
[11] [11] Atari Jaguar CD Memory Track box
[12] [12] Atari Jaguar Team Tap box
[13] [13] Battle Sphere Gold manual addendum
Atari Jaguar
328
[14] [14] Official CatBox Manual - Final Version 1.01c - May 8, 1996
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atari Jaguar.
Atari Jaguar (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Atari/ Jaguar_64) at DMOZ
Guide to Atari Jaguar games at Retro Video Gamer (http:/ / www. retrovideogamer. co. uk/ index.
php?page=atari1)
Casio Loopy
329
Casio Loopy
Casio Loopy
Manufacturer Casio
Retail availability
JP
October 19, 1995
Media Cartridge
CPU 32-bit RISC SH-1 (SH7021)
Controller input D-pad, Mouse
Predecessor PV-1000
The Casio Loopy ( RpHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), subtitled My Seal Computer SV-100,
is a 32-bit video game console sold exclusively in Japan. Released in October 1995, it was unique in that the
marketing for it was completely targeted to female gamers. The Loopy included a built-in thermal color printer that
could be used to create stickers from game screenshots. An optional accessory, called Magical Shop, allowed the
machine to be used with outside devices (such as VCRs and DVD players) to obtain images from them, add text, and
make stickers from those as well. Including Magical Shop, which contains its own built-in software, the Loopy game
library contains 11 titles. The Loopy features one controller port for use with a standard game controller or with a
mouse (sold separately). Noted developer Kenji Terada worked on Loopy Town no Oheya ga Hoshii!
Games
Anime Land ( AnimerandoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
Bow-wow Puppy Love Story ( Wanwan Aij MonogatariHelp:Installing Japanese
character sets)
Dream Change: Kokin-chan's Fashion Party (
Dormuchenji Kokinchanno FasshonptHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
HARIHARI Seal Paradise (HARIHARI HARIHARI Shru ParadaisuHelp:Installing
Japanese character sets)
I Want a Room in Loopy Town! ( ! Rp Taun no O-heya ga
Hoshii!Help:Installing Japanese character sets)
Little Romance ( Ritoru RomansuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
Lupiton's Wonder Palette ( Rupiton no
WandparettoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
Chakra-kun's Charm Paradise ( Chakurakun no
Omajinai ParadaisuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
Caricature Artist ( Nigaoe tisutoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
PC Collection ( Pasokon KorekushonHelp:Installing Japanese character
sets)
Casio Loopy
330
Magical Shop ( Majikaru ShoppuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
References
External links
Casio Loopy on UltimateConsoleDatabase.com (http:/ / ultimateconsoledatabase. com/ golden/ casio_loopy. htm)
Casio Loopy on old-computers.com (http:/ / www. old-computers. com/ MUSEUM/ computer. asp?c=774& st=2)
Casio Loopy on uk.playright.dk (http:/ / www. uk. playright. dk/ raretitel. php?id=29220)
Casio Loopy on rfgeneration.com (http:/ / www. rfgeneration. com/ news/ classic-gaming/
System-Overview-Casio-Loopy-My-Seal-Computer-362. php)
FEMICOM Museum's Casio Loopy Collection (http:/ / loopy. femicom. org)
FM Towns Marty
331
FM Towns Marty
FM Towns Marty
FM Towns Marty console w/ controller
Manufacturer Fujitsu
Generation Fifth generation (32-bit/64-bit era)
Release date
JP
February 20, 1993
Discontinued
JP
1995
Units sold 45,000 (as of December 31, 1993)
Media CD-ROM, 3-inch floppy disks
CPU AMD 386SX at 16 MHz
Memory 2 MB
Display 352x232 - 640x480 resolutions, 256 colours on-screen out of a palette of 32 768
Sound 6 channel FM (Yamaha YM2612)
8 channel PCM (Ricoh RF5c68)
Backward
compatibility
FM Towns
The FM Towns Marty ( Efu Emu Taunzu MtHelp:Installing
Japanese character sets) was a fifth-generation video game console released in 1993 by Fujitsu, exclusively for the
Japanese market. It was the first 32-bit home video game system, and came complete with a built in CD-ROM drive
and disk drive. It was based on the earlier FM Towns computer system Fujitsu had released in 1989. The Marty was
backward-compatible with older FM Towns games.
In 1994 a new version of the console called the FM Towns Marty 2 (
2 Efu Emu Taunzu Mt TsHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) was released. It featured a darker gray shell
and a new lower price (66,000 yen or 670 USD) but was otherwise identical to the first Marty. It is widely believed
that the FM Towns Marty 2 would feature similar improvements to the FM Towns 2, which had a swifter CPU than
the first, but this is not the case.
[1]
It has also been speculated that the Marty 2 featured a 486 CPU, however this was
also discovered to be false.
There is also the FM Towns Car Marty ( Efu Emu Taunzu
K MtHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) for installation in automobiles. It included a built in navigation
system with audio and video guidance, and could also be detached from the car and played at home. It came in two
versions, the MVP-1 (released in April 1994) and MVP-10 (released in November 1994).Wikipedia:Citation needed
The only difference between the MVP-1 and MVP-10 is the drive mechanisms.Wikipedia:Citation needed There has
been speculation that the MVP-10 was introduced since the MVP-1 broke easily.Wikipedia:Citation needed An
FM Towns Marty
332
optional IC Card for the FM Towns Car Marty allowed it to use VICS, and was subsequently sold with a video
monitor.
Reception
Despite having excellent hardware from a gaming perspective, both the FM Towns and the FM Towns Marty were
very poor sellers in Japan. Wikipedia:Citation needed They were expensive and the custom hardware meant
expandability wasn't as easy as with DOS/V (IBM PC Clones with Japanese DOS or Microsoft Windows) systems.
NEC's PC98 series computers were also dominant in Japan when the FM Towns Marty was released, making it
difficult to break out before the DOS/V invasion took control of the market. This was despite such revolutionary
features as bootable CD-ROMs and a color GUI OS on the FM Towns PC, something that predated Microsoft's
Windows 95b bootable CD by 7 years. Software today is rare and expensive due to the low production runs. Despite
backwards compatibility with most older FM Towns PC games, compatibility issues plagued the Marty as newer
titles were released with the FM Towns in mind, further limiting its potential as a true "console version" of the
Fujitsu FM Towns PC. The Marty did have its own library of "Marty" specific games, but they were not enough to
strengthen its niche position between video game console systems and personal computers.
When Fujitsu lowered the price and released the Marty 2 sales started to increase, but the corporate attitude was that
it was a lost cause, and so the system was dropped. This led to the creation of the Japanese "Marty's Law" (
Mt no HsokuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets): if you don't keep offering something
to sell, you can't increase sales.Wikipedia:Citation needed
CPU 32-bit AMD 386SX processor @ 16 MHz
RAM 2 MB
Graphics Resolution: 352x232 up to 640x480
256 colours out of a 32 768 colour palette
The Marty had only composite and S-Video output, no other video connectors are possible. As some FM Towns games were
VGA-only, the Marty had a 15 kHz down-scan capability for displaying on a household TV screen.
Sprites up to 1024 sprites, 16 x 16 sprite size
Sound 6 channel FM (Yamaha YM2612)
8 channel PCM (Ricoh RF5c68)
Data storage CD-ROM, Single-speed (1x)
Internal 3.5" HD floppy drive
Floppy disks must be formatted 1.2M (PC98-style). This can be done from the BIOS GUI. The Marty's disk drive does not support
standard 1.44M or 720k FAT formatted 3.5" floppy disks. For a PC to be compatible with FM Towns Marty floppies it must have a
disk drive, BIOS and OS that supports "3 Mode". There are also USB floppy drives that support "3 Mode".
Multi-Purpose PCMCIA type 1 slot
The Marty's IC Card slot is compatible with type 1 PCMCIA cards, including battery-backed SRAM cards (accessible from the
BIOS menu) that can be mapped to a drive letter and used as a small drive. Fujitsu also officially released a PCMCIA 2400 bit/s
modem (FMM-CM301) for the FM Towns Marty. This modem was bundled with the special TCMarty that also came with a printer
port. While it is widely believed that the IC Card slot can be used for RAM expansions, this is not correct.
FM Towns Marty
333
Controllers
4-way D-pad, A and B buttons, Select, and Run, as well as an extra button above the two "face" buttons
2 standard controller ports
Keyboard port
The controller connector is a DE9, referred to as an "Atari Type" in Japan because it's fundamentally the same connector as an Atari
2600. The Marty's Run and Select buttons are the equivalent of pressing right and left, or up and down at the same time. A
six-button controller from Fujitsu was available for use with Capcom's Street Fighter II. Capcom also released an adapter for their
CPS Fighter stick which made the stick compatible with the FM Towns/Marty as well as the Sharp X68000.
[2]
References
[1] http:/ / nfggames. com/ forum/ index. php?showtopic=2130& st=0& #
[2] http:/ / gamesx.com/ wiki/ doku. php?id=controls:capcompowerstick
External links
tripod.com/~faberp/: General information and pictures (http:/ / members. tripod. com/ ~faberp/ marty. htm)
consoledatabase.com: Console Database entry (http:/ / www. consoledatabase. com/ consoleinfo/
fujitsufmtownsmarty/ )
nfggames.com: FM Towns Marty Disassembly (http:/ / nfggames. com/ forum/ index. php?showtopic=2130&
hl=)
gamesx.com: FM Towns Controller Connector (http:/ / www. gamesx. com/ wiki/ doku.
php?id=controls:fm_towns_controller)
xe-emulator.com: Xe, an emulator collection (http:/ / xe-emulator. com/ )
gamescollection.it: Fm Towns Marty games database (http:/ / www. gamescollection. it/ special/ show/ 63)
Game.com
334
Game.com
This article is about handheld game console. For the headset brand, see Plantronics Gamecom.
"Game.com"
Manufacturer Tiger Electronics
Retail availability September 1997
Units sold fewer than 300,000
Media ROM cartridge
CPU Sharp SM8521
Online services 14.4 kbit/s modem
Best-selling game Lights Out (pack-in)
The Game.com (styled as "game.com" but pronounced "game com", not "game dot com") is a handheld game
console released by Tiger Electronics in September 1997. It featured many new ideas for handheld consoles and was
aimed at an older target audience, having PDA-style features and functions such as a touch screen and stylus. Unlike
other handheld game consoles, the first Game.com console included two slots for game cartridges and could be
connected to a 14.4 kbit/s modem. The second and last revision reverted to a single cartridge slot.
History
Titles released at Game.com's launch included Indy 500, Duke Nukem 3D, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, along with
Lights Out (which came packaged with the system) and Solitaire (built in the system ROM). Tiger also produced
equivalents to many Game Boy peripherals, such as the compete.com serial cable, allowing players to connect their
consoles to play multiplayer games or exchange high scores. Branded items such as an AC adapter, earphones, and a
carry-case were also made available.
The Game.com touch screen had a fairly low sensor resolution along with no backlight, so it lacked precision and
made it hard to see the on-screen controls. Entering phone numbers, addresses or the like was cumbersome. As with
most portable devices from the 1990s, data storage was entirely dependent on a button battery, and failure of this
backup battery would erase any high scores or information stored on the console.
Game.com
335
The Lights Out cart which came bundled with the
console
Tiger failed to sell the Game.com to an older audience. While they
were able to obtain game licenses like Wheel of Fortune, Sonic the
Hedgehog, Mortal Kombat, Duke Nukem, and Resident Evil, none of
the games sold in great numbers.
All game development, even on licensed games, was done in-house.
SDKs were not known to be widely available, and third party
development (essential to the success of most gaming systems) was
absent.
At the time, the platform was almost completely ignored by the gaming
press. Tiger used provocative and potentially insulting marketing,
satirizing the condescending commercials of other gaming platforms
with a video of a mock marketing spokesman bellowing "It plays more
games than you idiots have brain cells!". Not only was the satirical
nature of the commercial lost on the target audience, but most gamers assumed that it was a video of an actual Tiger
press conference, despite the fact that the commercial ends with the marketing spokesman being overwhelmed by a
mob of angry gamers. Wikipedia:Citation needed
In an effort to revitalize their low sales, Tiger would later release the Game.com Pocket Pro. This was a smaller
version of the Game.com which had the same specifications as the original except that it had a single cartridge slot
and required only two AA batteries. The initial version of the Pocket Pro featured a frontlit screen (advertised as
backlit) and is distinguished by its rough-textured black case. A subsequent re-release, dubbed as the Game.com
Pocket, omitted the frontlight and came in four translucent colors (green, blue, pink, and purple).
Both re-releases enjoyed very limited success, and the console would be canceled in 2000, along with its exclusive
internet service. Most of the console's problems were due to a small lineup (only 20 games), poor quality of some
games, lack of third party support, poor distribution, and poor marketing. Moreover, its display, like the original
Game Boy's, suffered from very slow screen updates (known as "ghosting"), which makes fast moving objects blur
and particularly hurt the fast-moving games Tiger sought licenses for. The Game.com Pocket Pro had a slightly
better display than the first model on par with the Game Boy Pocket's with less of a ghosting problem.
While the Game.com was a commercial failure, similar features were later used with great success by Nintendo in
their DS handheld console. The Game.com was the first to include basic PDA-functions, the first to allow two game
carts to be inserted at once, and the first handheld to allow internet access.
Internet features
Game.com modem and internet cartridges
To access the Internet, the user had to connect an external dial-up
modem to the Game.com via a serial cable and dial into the
Game.com-exclusive ISP. From there, the user could upload saved
high scores, or check e-mail and view the web if they had the Internet
cartridge (sold separately from the modem). The Game.com also
supported other ISPs, although accessing them via text with the touch
screen and stylus was far from user friendly. This process would end
up being a matter of trial-and-error; both Tiger's now-defunct website
and the included manual gave incorrect instructions for setting up a
Game.com for internet access.
Web access was text-only, and the later, single-cartridge versions of the Game.com could not access the web or send
e-mail at all. None of the games had actual online play with other people, only high score uploads. The monthly fee,
Game.com
336
two extra peripherals, and clumsy and confusing setup which required users to remain close to a phone line to
connect the console to the modem meant that only a small percentage of owners had a subscription to the Game.com
internet service. Wikipedia:Citation needed
System Size
(LxWxD)
Original: 190 x 108 x 19mm / Pocket Pro: 140 x 86 x 28mm
Processor Chip Sharp SM8521 8-Bit CPU
Screen Specs 200 x 160 resolution, 12 x 10 grid based touch screen, 3.5 in. diagonal (Original) / 2,8 in. diagonal (Pocket Pro)
Color System Black and White, with 4 gray levels
Sound/Music Monoaural, with 8-bit PCM and FM-synthesis, through a single speaker located in the upper left corner
Power Source 4 AA Batteries (2 AA batteries in Pocket and Pocket Pro) or AC Adapter
Ports Serial Comm Port for the Compete.com cable, internet cable and weblink cable; 3.5mm Audio Out Jack for headphones; DC9
V in (AC Adapter); 2 Cartridge Slots (1 on the Pocket and Pocket Pro)
Buttons Power (On/Off); Action (A, B, C, D); 3 Function (Menu, Sound, Pause); 1 Eight-way Directional Pad; Volume; Contrast;
Reset (On systems underside)
Games
Released
Batman & Robin
Centipede
Duke Nukem 3D
Fighters Megamix
Frogger
Henry
Indy 500
Jeopardy!
Lights Out
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Monopoly
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Quiz Wiz: Cyber Trivia
Resident Evil 2
Scrabble
Sonic Jam
Tiger Casino (shipped with new Game.com handhelds; only sold separately through the official website)
Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune 2
Williams Arcade Classics
Internet connection accessories for the Game.com were also released, including Game.com Internet and Tiger Web
Link carts.
Game.com
337
Canceled titles
A Bug's Life
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Furbyland
WCW Whiplash
Metal Gear Solid
NBA Hangtime
An unnamed (and unannounced) RPG title
[1]
can be seen in one of the game.com television commercials
[2]
. It was
later discovered that this was to be a game.com version of the PlayStation role-playing video game Shadow
Madness.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Community
A Game.com enthusiast with Usenet access created the newsgroup [news://alt.games.video.tiger.game-com
alt.games.video.tiger.game-com] (Google Groups link below) shortly after the handheld's release in 1997. This group
served as a focus point for Game.com owners, with often-heated discussion about the handheld's future and merits
relative to other systems, as well as reviews of existing games and speculation about future releases. Tiger
representatives sometimes posted using the now-defunct America Online account "TigerGcom". At one point, a
gameplay video of the never-released Metal Gear Solid was distributed among group members. Most of the
information about unreleased games herein was gleaned from postings to alt.games.video.tiger.game-com.
Hacking and homebrew development
In early 2005, a group called "game.commies" was formed with hopes of hacking the Game.com hardware and
creating new homebrew video games.
In 2006, they announced a working Game.com emulator was in their possession, but denied a public release of it was
forthcoming. This emulator was originally distributed to Game.com developers, in the same vein as Ensata.
A preliminary driver for the Game.com hardware was added to the MESS emulator in 2006.
In October 2011, the official Game.com emulator for developers was released on the internet.
References
[1] http:/ / www. coxhomestead. com/ slight/ compendium/ archive/ wyvern/ index. html
[2] http:/ / www. coxhomestead. com/ slight/ compendium/ archive/ _gamecom/ index. html
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game.com.
Game.com Official Website (http:/ / wayback. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www. game. com) (archive)
Game com (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Game. com) at DMOZ
The end of the game.com (http:/ / gcom. oldergames. com/ ) Features game screenshots and developer interviews
Comprehensive Game.com Unit Analysis (http:/ / www. ashens. com/ post/ 9141068649/
years-in-the-making-by-which-i-mean-i-couldnt) video
Neo Geo Pocket
338
Neo Geo Pocket
For the system with the same name featuring color graphics, see Neo Geo Pocket Color.
Neo Geo Pocket
Manufacturer SNK
Type Handheld gaming console
Retail availability
JP
October 28, 1998
Discontinued 1999
Units sold 2 million, including Neo-Geo Pocket Color units (as of July 30, 2007)
Media ROM cartridge
Power 2 AAA batteries for 40 hours of play, Lithium CR2032 for backup memory and clock
CPU Toshiba TLCS900H
Successor Neo Geo Pocket Color
The Neo Geo Pocket is a monochrome handheld video game console released by SNK. It was the company's first
handheld system and is part of the Neo Geo family. It debuted in Japan in late 1998, however never saw a western
release, being exclusive to Japan and smaller Asian markets such as Hong Kong.
The Neo Geo Pocket is considered to be an unsuccessful console. Lower than expected sales resulted in its
discontinuation in 1999, and was immediately succeeded by the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a full color device allowing
the system to compete more easily with the dominant Game Boy Color handheld. The majority of the Neo Geo
Pocket's library is forwards compatible with that of the Neo Geo Pocket Color (though games will play in
monochrome), and likewise all Neo Geo Pocket games can be played on the color system (bar The Last Blade:
Beyond the Destiny).
Though the system enjoyed only a short life, there were some significant games released on the system such as
Samurai Shodown, and King of Fighters R-1. Only ten games were released for the system; Melan Chan's Growth
Diary, Puzzle Link, Pocket Tennis, Neo Cup 98, Neo Cup 98 plus, King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, Master of
Syougi, Neo Cherry Master and Baseball Stars.
Neo Geo Pocket
339
Technical Specifications
Neo Geo Pocket motherboard.
16 bit TOSHIBA TLCS-900H high performance core CPU
32 bit/16 bit register bank configuration at 6.144 MHz
Virtual screen 256256 - 16 palettes/plane, 64 sprites/frame
Z80 8 bit cpu to control the soundchip
SN76489 soundchip equivalent (3 square wave tone generators + 1
white noise generator + direct access to the 2 Digital-to-analog
converters)
I/O serial SIO 1 channel 19200 bit/s
4 bit internal memory
Games
List of Neo Geo Pocket Color games
References
External links
Neo Geo Pocket (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ SNK/ Neo_Geo_Pocket)
at DMOZ
Nintendo 64
340
Nintendo 64
"N64" redirects here. For other uses, see N64 (disambiguation).
Nintendo 64
A charcoal gray Nintendo 64 console with a blank Game Pak and gray controller.
Also known as N64
Developer Nintendo IRD
Foxconn
Release date
JP
June 23, 1996
NA
September 29, 1996
EU
March 1, 1997
AUS
March 1, 1997
Discontinued
JP
April 30, 2002
NA
November 30, 2003
EU
May 16, 2003
AUS
2003
Units shipped Worldwide: 32.93 million
Japan: 5.54 million
Americas: 20.63 million
Europe & Australia: 6.75 million
Media Nintendo 64 Game Pak
Magnetic disc (64DD)
CPU 64-bit NEC VR4300 @ 93.75MHz
Storage 64 MB Game Pak, 256 Kb (32 KB) Controller Pak for game saves
Graphics SGI RCP @ 62.5MHz
Controller input Nintendo 64 controller
Online services RANDnetDD (Japan only)
SharkWire Online (third-party)
Best-selling game Super Mario 64, 11.62 million (as of May 21, 2003)
Nintendo 64
341
Backward
compatibility
None
Predecessor Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Successor GameCube
Related articles Nintendo 64 technical specifications, 64DD, Rumble Pak, games, accessories, color variants, programming characteristics
Website
Official website
[1]
The Nintendo 64 (Japanese: 64 Hepburn: Nintend RokujyonHelp:Installing Japanese
character sets), stylized as NINTENDO
64
and often referred to as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console
for the international market. Named for its 64-bit central processing unit, it was released in June 1996 in Japan,
September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December
1997 in Brazil. It is Nintendo's last home console to use ROM cartridges to store games (Nintendo switched to a
MiniDVD-based format for the successor GameCube); handhelds in the Game Boy line, however, continued to use
Game Paks. As part of the fifth generation of gaming, it primarily competed with the PlayStation and the Sega
Saturn. Succeeded by Nintendo's GameCube in November 2001, N64 consoles continued to be produced until its
discontinuation in Japan on April 30, 2002, Europe on May 16, 2003, North America on November 30, 2003, and
Australia in 2003.
The N64 was released with two launch games, Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64, and a third in Japan, Saiky Habu
Shgi. The N64's suggested retail price was US $199.99 at its launch and it was later marketed with the slogan "Get
N, or get Out!". The console was ultimately released in a range of different colors and designs, and an assortment of
limited-edition controllers were sold or used as contest prizes during the N64's lifespan. The N64 sold 32.93 million
units worldwide, and in 2009, it was named the 9th greatest video game console by IGN. Time Magazine named it
their 1996 Machine of the Year award.
Of the consoles in the fifth generation, the Nintendo 64 was the last to be released. One of its technical drawbacks
was a limited texture cache, which could hold textures of limited dimensions and reduced color depth, which had to
be stretched to cover larger in-game surfaces. More significantly, the N64 still relied upon ROM cartridges, which
were constrained by small capacity (particularly in an era when games became more complex and their contents took
up more memory) and high production expenses, compared to the compact disc format used by its chief competitors.
As a result of the N64's storage media limitations, many third-party publishers that previously supported Nintendo's
past consoles reduced or stopped publishing games; the N64's most successful games came from first-party or
second-party studios.
History
Development
At the beginning of the 1990s, Nintendo led the video game industry with its Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
Although a follow-up console, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), was successful, sales took a hit
from the Japanese recession. Competing consoles from Sega and Sony also increased the need for Nintendo to
develop a successor to the SNES. Further complicating matters, the company also faced a backlash from third-party
developers unhappy with Nintendo's onerous licensing policies. The company sought to develop a console with
high-quality, 3-dimensional graphics and a 64-bit processor. Nintendo's code name for the N64, "Project Reality",
stemmed from the bold belief that the hardware's advanced CGI capabilities would rival supercomputers of the era.
Nintendo had limited experience with 3-dimensional graphics, and worked with outside companies to develop the
technology. The Nintendo 64 owes its existence to Silicon Graphics (SGI) and MIPS Technologies, who were
responsible for the R4300i microprocessor and the 3D graphics hardware used in the N64. SGI had recently acquired
MIPS Computer Systems, and the two worked together to create a low-cost real-time 3D graphics system.
Nintendo 64
342
James H. Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics, initially offered the SGI project to Tom Kalinske, then CEO of Sega of
America. The negotiations that ensued have fueled controversy.
[]
Sega claimed that their evaluation of the early
prototype uncovered several unresolved hardware-issues and deficiencies. They were subsequently resolved; but not
before Sega had already decided against SGI's design. Nintendo resisted that assertion, arguing that Nintendo was a
more appealing partner. SGI was apparently interested in using its chips in devices other than a game console; while
Sega demanded exclusive rights to the chip, Nintendo was willing to license the technology on a non-exclusive basis.
Nintendo, falling behind in the console war, expressed interest in SGI's work. James Clark met with Nintendo CEO
Hiroshi Yamauchi in the spring of 1993 and agreed to develop the project. Thus, "Project Reality" was born. An
official announcement regarding their collaboration was made in October 1993.
The console's design was revealed to the public for the first time in late Spring 1994. Pictures of the console showed
the Nintendo Ultra 64 logo, a ROM cartridge, but no controller. The final N64 console would retain the shape
pictured by the Ultra 64. The system was frequently marketed as the world's first 64-bit gaming system. Atari had
claimed to have made the first 64-bit game console with their Atari Jaguar, but the Jaguar only used a 64-bit
architecture in conjunction with two 32-bit RISC processors and a 16/32-bit Motorola 68000. Around the same time,
Rare (UK) and Midway (USA) released two arcade games, Killer Instinct and Cruis'n USA, which boasted their
upcoming release on the Ultra 64 platform. Killer Instinct did use the same CPU as the N64, a MIPS R4300i,. Killer
Instinct featured pre-rendered character artwork, and CG movie backgrounds that were streamed off the hard drive
and animated as the characters moved horizontally.
The completed N64 was fully unveiled in a playable form to the public on November 24, 1995, at the 7th Annual
Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan. Nintendo's next-generation console was introduced as the "Nintendo 64" (a
name given by Shigesato Itoi, who named the Game Boy before), contrary to speculation that it would be called
"Ultra 64". Photos of the event were disseminated on the web by Game Zero magazine two days later. Official
coverage by Nintendo followed later via the Nintendo Power website and print magazine.
In the lead up to the console's release, Nintendo had adopted a new global branding strategy, assigning the console
the same name for all markets: Nintendo 64.
[2]
The console was originally slated for release by Christmas of 1995. In May 1995, Nintendo pushed back the release
to April 1996.
[3]
The prospect of a release the following spring at a lower price than the competition lowered sales of
competing Sega and Sony consoles during the important Christmas shopping season.
[4]
In its explanation of the delay, Nintendo claimed it needed more time for Nintendo 64 software to mature, and for
third-party developers to produce games. Adrian Sfarti, a former engineer for SGI, attributed the delay to hardware
problems; he claimed that the chips underperformed in testing, and were being redesigned.
Release
Popular Electronics called the launch a "much hyped, long-anticipated moment."
The console was first released in Japan on June 23, 1996. The North American version of the Nintendo 64 officially
launched on September 29, 1996. It launched with just two games in the United States, Pilotwings 64 and Super
Mario 64. In 1994, prior to the launch, Nintendo of America chairman Howard Lincoln emphasized the quality of
first-party games, saying "[...] we're convinced that a few great games at launch are more important than great games
mixed in with a lot of dogs."
[5]
The PAL version of the console was released in Europe on March 1, 1997.
Originally intended to be US$250, the console was ultimately priced at $199.99 to make it competitive with Sony
and Sega offerings. Nintendo priced the console as an impulse buy, using a strategy from the toy industry.
[6]
The
price of the console in the United States was cut to $129.95 on August 25, 1998.
[7]
Nintendo 64
343
Sales
The Nintendo 64 was in-demand upon its release. David Cole, industry analyst, said "You have people fighting to get
it from stores." Time Magazine called the purchasing interest "that rare and glorious middle-class Cabbage Patch-doll
frenzy." The magazine said celebrities Matthew Perry, Steven Spielberg's office, and some Chicago Bulls players
called Nintendo to ask for special treatment to get their hands on the console.
[8]
The console sold 350,000 of 500,000 available units during its first three days on sale.
[]
Longer term, the console
sold 500,000 units in North America during its first four months. George Harrison, vice president of marketing at
Nintendo, expected sales of 5 million consoles by Christmas 1997.
The N64 sold 3.6 million in its first full year in the United States.
As of December 31, 2009, the N64 had sold 5.54 million units in Japan, 20.63 million in the Americas, and 6.75
million in other regions, for a total of 32.93 million units. Benimaru It, a developer for EarthBound 64 and friend of
Shigeru Miyamoto, speculated in 1997 that the N64's lower popularity in Japan was due to the lack of role-playing
video games.
Promotion
To boost sales during the slow post-Christmas season, Nintendo and General Mills worked together on a promotional
campaign that appeared in early 1999. A television advertising campaign cost $5 million. The advertisement by
Saatchi and Saatchi, New York began on January 25 and encouraged children to buy Fruit by the Foot snacks for tips
to help them with their Nintendo 64 games. 90 different tips were available, with three variations of 30 tips each.
[9]
Nintendo advertised its Funtastic Series of peripherals with a $10 million print and television campaign from
February 28 to April 30, 2000. Leo Burnett, Chicago, was in charge.
[10]
Reception
The Nintendo 64 received generally positive reviews from critics. Reviewers generally praised the console's
advanced 3D graphics and gameplay, while criticizing the lack of games.
Previewing the console, Time Magazine said the console had the "fastest, smoothest game action yet attainable via
joystick."
[11]
Time Magazine named it their 1996 Machine of the Year, saying the machine had "done to video-gaming what the
707 did to air travel." The magazine said the console achieved "the most realistic and compelling three-dimensional
experience ever presented by a computer." Time credited the Nintendo 64 with revitalizing the video game market,
"rescuing this industry from the dustbin of entertainment history." The magazine suggested that the Nintendo 64
would play a major role in introducing children to digital technology in the final years of the 20th century. The
article concluded by saying the console had already provided "the first glimpse of a future where immensely
powerful computing will be as common and easy to use as our televisions."
[12]
Popular Electronics complimented the system's hardware, calling its specifications "quite impressive." It also
complimented the controller, saying "We found the controller comfortable to hold, and the controls to be accurate
and responsive."
The Los Angeles Times praised the system's "blistering speed and tack-sharp graphics," as well as its high-quality
games, although it lamented the small number of games. It called the console small and light.
[13]
Nintendo 64
344
Legacy
The Nintendo 64 remains one of the best known video game systems in the world. On the top ten best game consoles
episode of G4techTV's (now G4's) Filter, the Nintendo 64 was voted up to #1 by registered users.
Games
See also: List of Nintendo 64 games, List of Nintendo 64 Player's Choice games and Chronology of Nintendo 64
games
A total of 387 games were released for the console, though few were exclusively sold in Japan. For comparison, the
rival PlayStation received around 1,100 games, while the earlier NES and SNES had 768 and 725 US games,
respectively. However, the Nintendo 64 game library included a high number of critically acclaimed and widely sold
games. Super Mario 64 was the console's best selling game (selling over 11 million copies), receiving much praise
from critics and helping to pioneer three-dimensional control schemes. GoldenEye 007 was important in the
evolution of the first-person shooter, and has since been named one of the greatest in the genre. The Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time set the standard for future 3D action-adventure games
[14]
and is considered by some to be the
greatest game ever made.
[15][16]
Graphics
Graphically, results of the Nintendo cartridge system were mixed. The N64's graphics chip was capable of trilinear
filtering, which allowed textures to look very smooth. This contrasted with the Saturn and PlayStation, which used
nearest-neighbor interpolation and produced more pixelated textures.
However, the smaller storage size of ROM cartridges limited the number of available textures, resulting in games
that had blurry graphics. This was caused by the liberal use of stretched, low-resolution textures, and was
compounded by the N64's 4,096-byte limit on a single texture. Some games, such as Mario Party 2, use a large
amount of Gouraud shading or very simple textures to produce a cartoon-like image. This fit the themes of many
games, and allowed this style of imagery a sharp look. Cartridges for some later games, such as Resident Evil 2, Sin
and Punishment: Successor of the Earth, and Conker's Bad Fur Day, featured more ROM space, allowing for more
detailed graphics.
Game Paks
Main article: Nintendo 64 Game Pak
Open and unopened N64 Game Pak
Nintendo 64 games are ROM cartridge based. Cartridge size varies
from 4MB to 64MB. ROM cartridges are expensive and
time-consuming to manufacture. Many cartridges include the ability to
save games internally.
Nintendo cited several advantages for making the N64 cartridge-based.
Primarily cited was the ROM cartridges' very fast load times in
comparison to disc-based games. While loading screens appear in
many PlayStation games, they are rare on the N64. Although
vulnerable to long-term environmental damage the cartridges are far
more resistant to physical damage than compact discs.
The big strength was the N64 cartridge. We use the cartridge almost like normal RAM and are streaming all level data, textures,
animations, music, sound and even program code while the game is running. With the final size of the levels and the amount of
textures, the RAM of the N64 never would have been even remotely enough to fit any individual level. So the cartridge technology
really saved the day.
Nintendo 64
345
Factor 5, Bringing Indy to N64 at IGN
On the downside, cartridges took longer to manufacture than CDs, with each production run (from order to delivery)
taking two weeks or more. This meant that publishers of N64 games had to attempt to predict demand for a game
ahead of its release. They risked being left with a surplus of expensive cartridges for a failed game or a weeks-long
shortage of product if they underestimated a game's popularity. The cost of producing an N64 cartridge was also far
higher than for a CD. Publishers passed these expenses onto the consumer. Comparable games cost at least $10 more
on the Nintendo 64 as compared with other platforms.
[17]
As fifth generation games became more complex in content, sound and graphics, it pushed cartridges to the limits of
their storage capacity. The N64 cartridges had a maximum of 64MB of data, whereas CDs held over 650MB.
Games ported from other media had to use data compression or reduced content to be released on the N64. Due to
the cartridge's space limitations, full motion video was not usually feasible for use in cut scenes.
The era's competing systems from Sony and Sega (the PlayStation and Saturn, respectively) used CD-ROM discs to
store their games. As a result, game developers who had traditionally supported Nintendo game consoles were now
developing games for the competition. Many third-party developers, such as Square and Enix, whose Final Fantasy
VII and Dragon Warrior VII were initially pre-planned for the N64, switched to the PlayStation. Some who
remained released fewer games to the Nintendo 64; Konami released fifty PlayStation games but only thirteen for the
N64. New Nintendo 64 game releases were infrequent while new games were coming out rapidly for the PlayStation.
Despite the difficulties with third parties, the N64 still managed to support popular games such as GoldenEye 007,
giving it a long shelf-life. Additionally, Nintendo's strong first-party franchises such as Mario had strong name brand
appeal. Second-parties of Nintendo, such as Rare, helped.
Nintendo's controversial selection of the cartridge medium for the Nintendo 64 has been cited as a key factor in
Nintendo losing its dominant position in the gaming market. Some of the cartridge's advantages are difficult for
developers to manifest prominently, requiring innovative solutions which only came late in the console's life cycle.
Further information: Nintendo 64 programming characteristics
Emulation
See also: Virtual Console and List of Nintendo 64 console emulators
Several Nintendo 64 games have been released for the Wii's Virtual Console service and are playable with either the
Classic Controller or Nintendo GameCube controller. There are some differences between these versions and the
original cartridge versions. For example, the games run in a higher resolution and at a more consistent framerate than
their N64 counterparts. However, some features, such as Rumble Pak functionality, are not available in the Wii
versions. Some features are also altered for the Virtual Console releases. For example, the VC version of Pokmon
Snap allows players to send photos through the Wii's message service, while Wave Race 64's in-game content was
altered due to the expiration of the Kawasaki license. Several games from Rare have seen release on Microsoft's
Xbox Live Arcade service, including Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Perfect Dark, the reason being that Rareware
was purchased by Microsoft in 2002.
Prior to the Virtual Console's conception, unofficial emulation systems were developed in order to execute Nintendo
64 titles on multiple platforms, such as PCs, that would otherwise be impossible without the required N64
hardware.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Nintendo 64
346
Hardware
Main article: Nintendo 64 technical specifications
The Nintendo 64 motherboard, showing CPU,
RCP, and RDRAM
The Nintendo 64's central processing unit (CPU) is the NEC VR4300.
This processor was the most powerful console CPU of its generation;
Popular Electronics said it had power similar to the Pentium
processors found in desktop computers. Except for its narrower 32-bit
system bus, the VR4300 retained the computational abilities of the
more powerful 64-bit MIPS R4300i, though software rarely took
advantage of 64-bit data precision operations. N64 games generally
used faster (and more compact) 32-bit data-operations, as these were
sufficient to generate 3D-scene data for the console's RSP (Reality
Signal Processor) unit. In addition, 32-bit code executed faster and
required less storage space (which was at a premium on the N64's
cartridges).
In terms of its random-access memory, or RAM, the Nintendo 64 was
one of the first modern consoles to implement a unified memory
subsystem, instead of having separate banks of memory for CPU, audio, and video, for example. The memory itself
consists of 4megabytes of RDRAM, made by Rambus. The RAM is expandable to 8MB with the Expansion Pak.
Rambus was quite new at the time and offered Nintendo a way to provide a large amount of bandwidth for a
relatively low cost.
The system allows for video output in two formats: composite video and S-Video. The composite and S-Video
cables are the same as those used with the earlier SNES and later GameCube systems.
The Nintendo 64 supports 16.8 million colors.Wikipedia:Citation needed The system can display resolutions of
256224, 320240 and 640480 pixels. Few games made use of the 640480 mode, many of them required use
of the Expansion Pak RAM upgrade. The vast majority of games instead used the system's low resolution 256224
(256240 for PAL models) mode. A number of games also support a video display ratio of up to 16:9 using either
Anamorphic widescreen or Letterboxing. However, very few of its games provided options to use this
feature.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Further information: Nintendo 64 programming characteristics
Color variants
Main article: Nintendo 64 color variants
A Nintendo 64 console and controller in Fire-Orange color.
The Nintendo 64 comes in several colors. The standard
Nintendo 64 is dark gray, nearly black, and the
controller is light gray (later releases in America
included a bonus second controller in Atomic Purple).
Various color variations and special editions were
released.
The majority of Nintendo 64 game cartridges were gray
in color; however, some games were released on a
colored cartridge. Fourteen games had black cartridges,
Nintendo 64
347
while other colors (such as green, blue, red, yellow and gold) were each used for six or fewer games. Several games,
such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, were released both in standard gray and in colored, limited edition
versions.
Accessories
Main article: Nintendo 64 accessories
A number of accessories, from the Rumble Pak to the Transfer Pak, were available for the Nintendo 64.
The controller was shaped like an "M", employing a joystick in the center. Popular Electronics called its shape
"evocative of some alien space ship." While noting that the three handles could be confusing, the magazine said "the
separate grips allow different hand positions for various game types."
64DD
Main article: 64DD
Nintendo released a peripheral platform called Nintendo 64DD, where 'DD' stands for 'Disk Drive'. Connecting to
the expansion slot at the bottom of the system, the 64DD turns the Nintendo 64 console into an Internet appliance
and an expanded gaming platform. This large peripheral allows players to play Nintendo 64 disk-based games,
capture images from an external video source, and connect to the now-defunct Japanese Randnet online service. Not
long after its limited mail-order release, the add-on was discontinued. Only nine games were released, including the
four Mario Artist games (Paint Studio, Talent Studio, Communication Kit, and Polygon Studio); many more were
released in cartridge format or on other game consoles. The Nintendo 64DD and the accompanying Randnet online
service, were released only in Japan.
Programming characteristics
Main article: Nintendo 64 programming characteristics
The programming characteristics of the Nintendo 64 present unique challenges, with distinct potential advantages.
The Economist described effective programming for the Nintendo 64 as being "horrendously complex."
[18]
As with
many other game consoles and other types of embedded systems, the Nintendo 64's architectural optimizations are
uniquely acute, due to a combination of oversight on the part of the hardware designers, limitations on 3D
technology of the time, and manufacturing capabilities.
As the Nintendo 64 reached the end of its lifecycle, hardware development chief Genyo Takeda referred to the
programming challenges using the word hansei (Japanese: "reflective regret"). Looking back, Takeda said
"When we made Nintendo 64, we thought it was logical that if you want to make advanced games, it becomes
technically more difficult. We were wrong. We now understand it's the cruising speed that matters, not the
momentary flash of peak power."
[19]
Nintendo 64
348
References
[1] http:/ / www. nintendo.com/ consumer/ systems/ nintendo64/ index. jsp
[2] The word "Ultra" had already been trademarked by Konami, for its Ultra Games division, leading Nintendo to drop "Ultra" from the console's
name. Despite the name change, the official prefix for the Nintendo 64's model numbering scheme is "NUS-", a reference to the console's
original name, "Nintendo Ultra Sixty-Four".
[3] [3] Fisher, Lawrence M. "Nintendo Delays Introduction of Ultra 64 Video-Game Player." New York Times: A.34. New York Times. May 06
1995. Web. 24 May 2012.
[4] "(Will You Still Love Me) When I'm 64." Popular Electronics 14.3 (1997): 24. Military & Government Collection. Web. 24 July 2013.
[5] Gillen, Marilyn A. "Q&A With Nintendo's Howard Lincoln." Billboard 106.26 (1994): 77. Business Source Complete. Web. 23 July 2013.
[6] [6] Miller, Cyndee. "Sega Vs. Nintendo: This Fights almost as Rough as their Video Games." Marketing News 28.18 (1994): 1-. ABI/INFORM
Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
[7] [7] Editors, Business. "New Nintendo 64 Pricing Set at $129.95, $10 Software Coupons to Continue Sales Momentum." Business Wire: 1. Aug
25 1998. ProQuest. Web. 23 July 2013.
[8] Krantz, Michael. "Mario Plays Hard To Get." Time 148.26 (1996): 60. Military & Government Collection. Web. 24 July 2013.
[9] [9] "Promotions: Mills Gets Foot Up with Nintendo Link-up." BRANDWEEK formerly Adweek Marketing Week. (JANUARY 18, 1999 ): 277
words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2013/07/24.
[10] [10] Wasserman, Todd. "Nintendo: Pokemon, Peripherals Get $30M." Brandweek 41.7 (2000): 48. Business Source Complete. Web. 24 July
2013.
[11] Krantz, MichaelJackson, David S. "Super Mario's Dazzling Comeback." Time 147.21 (1996): 52. Military & Government Collection. Web.
24 July 2013.
[12] Krantz, MichaelEisenberg, Daniel. "64 Bits Of Magic." Time 148.24 (1996): 73. Military & Government Collection. Web. 24 July 2013.
[13] [13] Curtiss, Aaron. "Personal Technology; New Nintendo 64 is a Technical Wonder; Leisure: The Cartridge-Based Game Machine Boasts
Blistering Speed and Super-Sharp Graphics." Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext): 4. Sep 30 1996. ProQuest. Web. 23 July 2013.
[14] Metacritic here states that Ocarina of Time is "[c]onsidered by many to be the greatest single-player video game ever created in any genre..."
[15] This news article refers to Ocarina of Time as "the apex of 6-4bit gaming and oft-cited "Best Game Ever Made..."
[16] Metacritic here states that Ocarina of Time is "[c]onsidered by many to be the greatest single-player video game ever created in any genre..."
[17] [17] Ryan, Michael E. "'I Gotta Have This Game Machine!' (Cover Story)." Familypc 7.11 (2000): 112. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 24 July 2013.
[18] [18] "Nintendo Wakes Up." The Economist Aug 03 1996: 55-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
[19] [19] Croal, N'Gai; Kawaguchi, Masato; Saltzman, Marc. "It's Hip To Be Square." Newsweek 136.10 (2000): 53. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 23
July 2013.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nintendo 64.
Billboard Magazine of May 18, 1996, p.58 (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=uA0EAAAAMBAJ&
printsec=frontcover& dq=billboard+ may+ 18,+ 1996), covering the launch of Nintendo 64, including Yamauchi's
explanation of cartridge strategy and negotiations about Netscape's online strategy for N64
"Why Netscape Almost Didn't Exist" (http:/ / www. notenoughshaders. com/ 2012/ 07/ 13/
why-netscape-almost-didnt-exist/ ), on Andreesson's choice to cofound Netscape instead of working on N64, and
later proposing N64's first online strategy
"Nintendo 64" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071017030136/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/
systemsclassic?type=n64). Archived from the original (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ systemsclassic?type=n64) on
2007-10-17.
Index of all Nintendo 64 promotional videos (http:/ / 64dd. net/ modules/ specials/ ?p)
Nintendo 64 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/ Nintendo_64/ ) at
DMOZ
US Patent for the N64 (http:/ / www. freepatentsonline. com/ y2001/ 0016517. html)
The Most Complete N64 Game Releaselist by NESWORLD (http:/ / nw. 64scener. com/ n64releaselist. php)
PC-FX
349
PC-FX
PC-FX
Manufacturer NEC
Retail availability
JP
December 23, 1994
Discontinued
JP
February 1998
Units sold < 100,000
Media CD-ROM
CPU NEC V810
Predecessor PC Engine
The PC-FX ( P Sh Efu EkkusuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a
video game console released in Japan on December 23, 1994 by NEC Corporation. It is the 32-bit successor to
NEC's PC Engine.
Unlike its predecessor, the PC-FX was only released in Japan, where it is seen to have been a commercial
failure,Wikipedia:Citation needed unable to compete effectively with its fifth generation peers. The PC-FX was
NEC's last home video game console, and was discontinued in February 1998.
History
NEC launched the PC-FX's predecessor, the PC Engine in 1987, which although had been warmly accepted in Japan,
was unable to match the technical specifications put forward by Nintendo and Sega with their consoles, the Super
Famicom and the Sega Mega Drive. Plans were therefore drawn up by NEC for a successor in order to reclaim lost
ground.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The PC-FX was based on a 32-bit system architecture named "Iron Man", developed in-house by NEC. NEC
demonstrated Iron Man at a number of trade shows and events during 1992, and by the middle of the year were
discussing an imminent release of an Iron Man-based video game system with many third party developers. At the
time, the earlier PC Engine was still quite popular in Japan, and opinions on the Iron Man technology were mixed.
Many were uninterested in switching to more powerful hardware while the PC Engine market was still growing, and
as a result NEC halted work on the Iron Man project, instead opting for more modifications to the PC Engine
technology.
Rather than spending the time to develop a new, more powerful platform capable of standing up to their competitors,
NEC decided to utilize the now dated 32-bit Iron Man architecture into a system now known as the PC-FX. The
result was a severely underpowered system that impressed neither developers nor consumers, ultimately leading to
its demise. In a special Game Machine Cross Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsshin would score the PC-FX
PC-FX
350
console an 18 out of 40.
[1]
The shining quality of the PC-FX however was the ability to decompress 30 JPEG pictures per second while playing
digitally recorded audio (essentially a form of Motion JPEG). This resulted in the PC-FX having superior full motion
video quality over all other fifth generation consoles.
Unlike nearly any other console (except for the 3DO and CD-i), the PC-FX was also available as an internal PC card
for NEC PC-98 and AT/IBM PC compatibles. This PC card came with two CDs of software to help the user program
games for the PC-FX. However, compatibility issues prevented games developed with this software from actually
running on the console.
The PC-FX was discontinued in early 1998. According to NEC of Japan, the PC-FX had sold just under 100,000
units.
Hardware
The system uses standard S-video and composite
A/V ports.
The PC-FX uses CD-ROMs as its storage medium, following on from
the expansion released for its predecessor, which originally used
HuCards. The game controller resembles that of the Mega Drive in
shape, only with more buttons and it is virtually identical to a
DUO-RX controller except for the fact that the rapid fire switches have
been changed into mode A/B switches.
The PC-FX's computer-like design was unusual for consoles at the
time. It stands upright like a tower computer while other contemporary
consoles lay flat. Another interesting feature is its three expansion
ports, as expansion ports are relatively underused in consoles (the Sega
Mega-CD being the most notable exception) and therefore their
inclusion increased the price without offering a great deal to the end
user. However it was one of the first consoles to feature an optional
mouse which made strategy games like Farland Story FX and Power
DoLLS FX more accessible to play on TV.
Software
See also: List of PC-FX games
There were 62 games released for the system. The launch titles were Graduation 2: Neo Generation FX, Battle Heat
and Team Innocent on December 23, 1994 and the final game released was First Kiss Story on April 24, 1998. The
system and all titles were only released in Japan. A number of demo discs were also released with publications
which allowed the user to play the disc in a CD equipped PC-Engine or the PC-FX.
There was no copy protection on any of the PC-FX games, because at the time the system was released, the high
price of CD-R burners and blank CDs made piracy expensive.
PC-FX
351
Emulators
Below is a list of PC-FX emulators for various platforms.
Name License Operating system
MagicEngine-FX Shareware Windows only
Mednafen GNU GPL Windows, UNIX/Linux
Xe Freeware Windows, UNIX/Linux
The FX-PAD controller
CPU
32-Bit NEC V810 RISC running at 21.5MHz,
15.5 MIPS
CD-ROM Drive
2X CD-ROM, 300KB / Sec
Memory
2 MB main RAM
1 MB shared RAM (for background generators,
CD-ROM DMA, motion decoder, and ADPCM)
256 KB dedicated VRAM (for HuC6270 chips)
1 MB OS ROM
256 KB CD Buffer
32 KB back-up RAM
Video
Internal color format: Digitized Y'UV (not YCbCr)
Maximum On-screen colors: 16,777,216 (24-bit color, 8 bits per channel)
Resolutions: 256x240p, 341x240p, 256x480i, 341x480i
6 background layers
2 sprite layers
1 motion decoder layer generated from RLE-encoded or JPEG-like data
Video out: Composite and S-Video
Sound
16-Bit Stereo CD-DA
2 ADPCM channels at up to ~31.5kHz with left/right panning
6 5-bit sample channels with left/right panning
Audio out: 2 RCA
Expansion Ports
SCSI IO Expansion Slot x 1(Rear), Backup RAM - FX-BMP Card Slot x 1 (Front), 3D VPU Expansion Slot x
1 (Bottom)
Input Devices
FX-PAD - 6 Button, 2 Switch(software-handled) Gamepad Controller, FX-MOU - 2 Button Mouse
PC-FX
352
Accessories
FX-BMP - 128KB+ Backup RAM Card with x 2 AAA batteries, FX-SCSI - Adaptor allows a PC to use the
PC-FX as a 2X SCSI CD-ROM
References
[1] Game Machine Cross Review: PC-FX. Weekly Famicom Tsshin. No.335. Pg.167. 1219 May 1995.
External links
Pcenginefx.com (http:/ / www. pcenginefx. com/ ) - The NEC console resource for the PC Engine, TurboGrafx &
PC-FX.
PC Engine's ambitious replacement (http:/ / archives. tg-16. com/ NG/ NG_1995_01_040. jpg) - From Next
Generation's 1995 premier issue.
Pioneer LaserActive
353
Pioneer LaserActive
Pioneer LaserActive
LaserActive CLD-A100 with PAC-S1 and PAC-N1 modules
Manufacturer Pioneer Corporation
Product family Laserdisc
Type Converged device
Release date
JP
August 20, 1993
NA
September 13, 1993
$970.00
Discontinued 1994
Units sold est. 10,000
Media LD-ROM, CD-ROM, ROM cartridge
Backward
compatibility
PC Engine
PC Engine CD-ROM
Mega-CD
Mega Drive
The LaserActive ( RzAkutibuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a
converged device and fourth-generation game console capable of playing Laserdiscs, Compact Discs, console
games, and LD-G karaoke discs. It was released by Pioneer Corporation in 1993. In addition to LaserActive games,
separately sold add-on modules (called "PACs" by Pioneer) accepts Mega Drive/Sega Genesis and PC
Engine/TurboGrafx 16 ROM cartridges and CD-ROMs.
Pioneer released the LaserActive model CLD-A100 in Japan on August 20, 1993 at a cost of 89,800, and in the
United States on September 13, 1993 at a cost of $970. In December 1993 NEC released a cloned version of the
system, the NEC PDE-LD1, which was priced identically to the original system and also accepted Pioneer's PAC
modules. Due to its low value for money, the LaserActive was a commercial failure.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The LaserActive has no regional lockout, allowing software from any region to be played on any system.
Pioneer LaserActive
354
Accessories
PAC modules
In the headings below, the Japanese model number occurs first, followed by the North American model number.
Sega PAC (PAC-S1 / PAC-S10)
Pioneer Electronics (USA) and Sega Enterprises released this module that allows users to play 8-inch and
12-inch LaserActive Mega LD discs, in addition to the hundreds of existing SEGA-CD and Genesis titles, as
well as standard CD+G discs. It was the most popular add-on bought by the greater part of the LaserActive
owners, costing roughly US $600. It comes with the usual Mega Drive/Genesis controller pad signed with a
gold Pioneer LaserActive logo on it.
NEC PAC (PAC-N1 / PAC-N10)
Pioneer Electronics (USA) and NEC Home Electronics released this module that allows users to play 8-inch
and 12-inch LaserActive LD-ROM
2
discs, as well as current TurboGrafx CD-ROM discs, game HuCards and
CD+G discs. The Japanese version of the PAC is unable to play American HuCard games, and vice
versa.Wikipedia:Citation needed The retail price was US $600. It comes with the usual PC Engine/TurboGrafx
16 controller pad signed with a gold Pioneer LaserActive logo on it.
Karaoke PAC (PAC-K1 / PAC-K10)
This PAC allows the CLD-A100 to use all NTSC LaserKaraoke titles. The front panel has two microphone
inputs with separated volume controls, as well as tone control. The retail price was US $350.
Computer Interface PAC (PAC-PC1)
The Computer Interface PAC has an RS-232 port, enabling the CLD-A100 to be controlled by a custom
software developed for a home computer. The PAC came with a 33-button infrared remote control providing
more functionality than the 24-button remote included with the CLD-A100. It also included a computer
program called LaserActive Program Editor on floppy disk for DOS and Mac OS. The floppy disks had some
sample programs created with the editor for use with the first five LaserDiscs in the Tenchi Muyo! anime
series.
LaserActive 3-D Goggles
The LaserActive 3-D Goggles (model GOL-1) employ an active shutter 3D system compatible with at least four
3D-ready LD-ROM software titles: 3-D Museum (1994), Vajra 2 (1994), and Virtual Cameraman 2 (1994), and 3D
Virtual Australia (1996). 3D Virtual Australia was the last software title published for the LaserActive.
The goggles are also compatible with the Sega Master System, and are interchangeable with the SegaScope 3-D
Glasses.
A goggle adapter (model ADP-1), packaged and sold separately from the 3-D Goggles, enables the user to connect
one or two pairs of goggles to the CLD-A100.
Pioneer LaserActive
355
Games
The standard LaserActive games were on Laserdisc encoded as an LD-ROM. An LD-ROM had a capacity of
540MB (where digital audio would have normally been stored) with 60 minutes of analog audio and video.
Name of Title Region(s) Required Modules Release Date Catalog Number
3-D Museum Japan Sega, Goggles 1994 PEASJ1012
3-D Museum U.S. Sega, Goggles 1994 PEASU1012
3D Virtual Australia Japan Sega, Goggles March 11, 1996 PEASJ5042
Akuma no Shinban (Demon's Judgment) Japan NEC PEANJ5003
Angel Mate Japan NEC PEANJ5002
Back To The Edo Japan Sega PEASJ5021
Bi Ryojon Collection (Pretty Illusion - Minayo Watanabe) Japan NEC 1994 PEANJ5025
Bi Ryojon Collection II (Pretty Illusion - Yuko Sakaki) Japan NEC 1994 PEANJ5028
Don Quixote U.S. Sega PEASU5022
Dora Dora Paradise Japan NEC PEANJ5005
Dr. Paolo No Totteoki Video Japan Sega PEASJ5030
Ghost Rush! U.S. Sega PEASU1018
Goku Japan NEC PEANJ1032
Goku U.S. Sega PEASU1010
The Great Pyramid Japan Sega PEASJ5002
The Great Pyramid U.S. Sega PEASU5002
High Roller Battle Japan Sega 1993 PEASJ1002
High Roller Battle U.S. Sega 1993 PEASU1002
Hyperion Japan Sega 1994 PEASJ5019
Hyperion U.S. Sega 1994 PEASU5019
I Will: The Story of London Japan Sega 1993 PEASJ1001
I Will: The Story of London U.S. Sega 1993 PEASU1001
J.B. Harold - Blue Chicago Blues Japan Sega PEASJ5036
J.B. Harold - Blue Chicago Blues U.S. Sega PEASU5036
J.B. Harold - Blue Chicago Blues Japan NEC PEANJ5017
J.B. Harold - Manhattan Requiem Japan Sega PEASJ5004
J.B. Harold - Manhattan Requiem U.S. NEC PEANU5004
Melon Brains Japan Sega 1994 PEASJ1011
Melon Brains U.S. Sega 1994 PEASU1011
Myst
[1]
U.S. Sega prototype
Pyramid Patrol Japan Sega 1993 PEASJ5001
Pyramid Patrol U.S. Sega 1993 PEASU5001
Quiz Econosaurus Japan NEC 1993 PEANJ5001
Quiz Econosaurus U.S. NEC 1993 PEANU5001
Road Blaster Japan Sega PEASJ1033
Pioneer LaserActive
356
Road Prosecutor U.S. Sega 1994 PEASU1033
Rocket Coaster U.S. Sega 1993 PEASU5013
Space Berserker Japan Sega PEASJ1003
Space Berserker U.S. Sega PEASU1003
Steel Driver unreleased
Time Gal Japan Sega 1995 PEASJ5039
Triad Stone (aka Strahl) Japan Sega 1994 PEASJ5014
Triad Stone (aka Strahl) U.S. Sega 1994 PEASU5014
Vajra Japan NEC 1993 PEANJ1001
Vajra U.S. NEC 1993 PEANU1001
Vajra 2 Japan NEC, Goggles 1994 PEANJ1016
Virtual Cameraman Japan Sega 1993 PEASJ5015
Virtual Cameraman 2 Japan Sega, Goggles 1994 PEASJ5020
Zapping TV Satsui Japan NEC 1994 PEANJ5023
Contemporary devices
In the early 1990s, a number of consumer electronics manufacturers designed converged devices around CD-ROM
technology. At the time, CD-ROM systems were expensive. The LaserActive was one of several multipurpose,
multi-format, upmarket home entertainment systems with software stored on optical discs. These systems were
premised on early conceptions of multimedia entertainment.
Some comparable systems are Amiga CDTV, Philips CD-i, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, and Tandy Video
Information System.
External links
Pioneer LaserActive
[2]
at Computer Closet
Pioneer LaserActive
[3]
at laserdiscarchive.co.uk
Pioneer LaserActive
[4]
at AllGame
LaserActive Preservation Project
[5]
References
[1] See (http:/ / www. cyberroach. com/ new_laseractive_pics/ usa/ myst/ myst. htm) for history of the LaserActive MYST prototype
[2] http:/ / www. computercloset. org/ PioneerLaseractive.htm
[3] http:/ / www. laserdiscarchive.co.uk/ laserdisc_archive/ pioneer/ pioneer_cld-a100/ pioneer_cld-a100. htm
[4] http:/ / allgame.com/ game.php?id=17669
[5] http:/ / laseractive.wordpress. com/
Playdia
357
Playdia
Playdia
Manufacturer Bandai
Retail availability
JP
September 23, 1994
Media CD-ROM
CPU 8-bit Toshiba TMP87C800F
Controller input Infrared Joypad
Predecessor Bandai RX-78
Successor Apple Bandai Pippin
The Playdia ( PureidiaHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) (developed under the codename
"BA-X"
[1]
) was a video game console released exclusively in Japan in 1994 at the initial price of 24,800. It was
intended for a young audience with anime quiz software and edutainment making up most of the game library. The
Playdia uses a single infrared joypad with simple controls. Bandai was the only software publisher to support this
console.
Playdia title complete list
1994 (11 titles)
09/23 - Dragon Ball Z - Suupaa Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku Chiky Hen - [BAPD-01]
09/23 - Bishjo Senshi Sailor Moon S - Quiz Taiketsu! Sailor Power Shketsu!! - [BAPD-02]
09/23 - SD Gundam Daizukan - [BAPD-03]
09/28 - Ultraman Powered - Kaij Gekimetsu Sakusen - [BAPD-04]
09/28 - Hello Kitty - Yume no Kuni Daibken - [BAPD-05]
11/25 - Aqua Adventure - Blue Lilty - [BAPD-06]
11/25 - Newton museum - Kyry Nendaiki Zenpen - [BAPD-07]
11/25 - Newton museum - Kyry Nendaiki Khen - [BAPD-08]
12/08 - Shuppatsu! Dbutsu Tankentai - [BAPD-09]
12/16 - Ultra Seven - Chiky Bei Sakusen - [BAPD-10]
12/16 - Dragon Ball Z - Suupaa Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku Uch Hen - [BAPD-11]
Playdia
358
1995 (16 titles)
01/24 - Norimono Banzai!! - Kuruma Daishg!! - [BAPD-12]
01/24 - Norimono Banzai!! - Densha Daishg!! - [BAPD-13]
03/22 - Ie Naki Ko - Suzu no Sentaku - [VPRJ-09722]
03/22 - Gamera - The Time Adventure - [BAPD-15]
06/22 - Elements Voice Series vol.1 Mika Kanai - Wind&Breeze - [BAPD-18]
06/22 - Elements Voice Series vol.2 Rica Fukami - Private Step - [BAPD-19]
06/22 - Elements Voice Series vol.3 Aya Hisakawa - Forest Sways - [BAPD-20]
07/28 - Bishjo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS - Sailor Moon to Hiragana Lesson! - [BAPD-21]
07/28 - Ultraman - Hiragana Dai Sakusen - [BAPD-22]
07/28 - Ultraman - Alphabet TV e Ykoso - [BAPD-23]
08/24 - Bishjo Senshi Sailor Moon SS - Sailor Moon to Hajimete no Eigo - [BAPD-24]
08/24 - Bishjo Senshi Sailor Moon SS - Ykoso! Sailor Ychien - [BAPD-25]
08/24 - Ultraman - Oide yo! Ultra Ychien - [BAPD-26]
10/20 - Chgkin Selections - [BKPD-01]
11/16 - Elements Voice Series vol.4 Yuri Shiratori - Rainbow Harmony - [BKPD-02]
12/15 - Soreike! Anpanman - Picnic de Obenky - [BAPD-27]
1996 (6 titles)
03/22 - Ultraman - Sji de Asob Ultra Land - [BAPD-28]
03/22 - Ultraman - Ultraman Chin UP Dai Sakusen - [BAPD-29]
03/27 - Elements Voice Series vol.5 Mariko Kouda - Welcome to the Marikotown! - [BKPD-03]
04/24 - Nintama Rantar - Gungun Nobiru Chin Hen - [BKPD-04]
05/15 - Nintama Rantar - Hajimete Oboeru Chishiki Hen - [BKPD-05]
06/26 - Gekisou Sentai Carranger - Tatakae! Hiragana Racer - [BKPD-06]
Unreleased (6 titles)
Yumi to Tokoton Playdia - [BS-003]
Go! Go! Ackman Planet - [BS-005]
Jamp Gentei Special - 4 Dai Hero Battle Taizen - [BS-006]
Bandai Item Collection 70 - [BS-007]
Playdia IQ Kids - [BS-009]
Kero Kero Keroppi - Uki Uki Party Land - [BS-010]
Playdia
359
Internal details
PCB Scan of the Bandai Playdia.
Sanyo Lc89515 - CD-ROM Host
Interface
Toshiba TA2035F - CD Focus tracking
server
Toshiba tc9263f - CD Single Chip
processor
Rohm 6398FP - 4 Channel BTL Driver
for CD Player motor
Toshiba TMP87C800F - 8 Bit
Microcontroller (8K ROM, 16K RAM) -
8MHz Operation, can access 64K
(TLCS-870 series which is based heavily
on the Z80)
Sharp LH52B256 - 256K (32K x 8)
Static RAM chip
NEC PD78214GC - 8 Bit
Microcontroller (16K ROM, 512 byte
RAM) - 12MHz Operation, can access
1MB (NEC 78K series)
Toshiba TC514256JAJ - 256K Word x 4
Fast Page DRAM Chip
Asahi Kasei AK8000 - Audio / Video processor
Philips DA8772AH - Triple 8Bit DAC converter
Sony CX1229M - NTSC/PAL Decoder
Rohm BA10324AF - Quad Op Amp
Sanyo LC78835K - 18BIT DAC with filter
Rohm BU3052BCF - Dual 4 Channel Analogue Multiplexer
References
[1] Starr, Michael; Chapple, Craig. VINTROPEDIA - Vintage Computer & Retro Console Price Guide 2009 (http:/ / books. google. com/
books?id=D7RS9yegrtoC& pg=PA84#v=onepage& q=& f=false). Lulu. 2008. p84.
External links
http:/ / www. daizex. com/ general/ playdia/ index. shtml
Playdia TV advert (http:/ / www. dailymotion. com/ video/ xx9ms_dbz-gaiden-playdia-cm)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Playdia.
PlayStation
360
PlayStation
For other uses, see PlayStation (disambiguation).
PlayStation
Top: PlayStation logo, original model with DualShock controller.
Bottom: the smaller redesigned PSone.
Manufacturer Sony Computer Entertainment
Product family PlayStation
Retail availability
PlayStation
JP
December 3, 1994
NA
September 9, 1995
EU
September 29, 1995
AUS
November 15, 1995
KR
1996
PSone
JP
July 7, 2000
NA
September 19, 2000
EU
September 29, 2000
Media CD-ROM
PlayStation
361
CPU MIPS R3000A-family R3051
33.8688MHz
Storage Memory card
Input PlayStation Controller, Dual Analog Controller, DualShock
Best-selling game Gran Turismo, 10.85 million shipped (as of April 30, 2008)
Successor PlayStation 2
The PlayStation (officially abbreviated as PS and more commonly known as PS1) is a 32-bit video game console
released by Sony Computer Entertainment. The console was released in Japan on December 3, 1994, and was
released in North America and Europe in September 1995. The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of
consoles and handheld game devices. As part of the fifth-generation of gaming, it primarily competed with the
Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn. In 2000, a re-designed "slim" version called the PSone was released, replacing the
original grey console and named appropriately to avoid confusion with its successor, the PlayStation 2.
The PlayStation was the first "computer entertainment platform" to ship 100 million units, which it had reached 9
years and 6 months after its initial launch. Reactions to the console upon launch were favourable; critics praised the
console for the quality of its 3-dimensional graphics. Then Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates, preferred Sony's console
to the competition from Sega, saying "our game designer likes the Sony machine".
The successor to the PlayStation is the PlayStation 2, which is backwards compatible with its predecessor in that it
can play almost every PlayStation game. The last PSone units were sold on Christmas 2004 before it was finally
discontinued, for a total of 102 million units shipped since its launch 10 years earlier. Games for the PlayStation
continued to sell until Sony ceased production of PlayStation games on March 31, 2007 over 11 years after it was
released, and less than a year after the debut of the PlayStation 3.
History
Development
An original PlayStation Controller. This model
was later replaced by the Dual Analog in 1997,
and then the DualShock in 1997/1998.
The first conceptions of the PlayStation date back to 1986. Nintendo
had been attempting to work with disc-based technology since the
Famicom, but the medium had problems. The Famicom Disk System's
rewritable magnetic discs could be easily erased (thus leading to a lack
of durability), and they lacked any sort of copy protection, thus were
vulnerable to piracy. Consequently, when details of CD-ROM XA
(which had neither of those problems) were released to the public,
Nintendo was interested. Simultaneously developed by Sony and
Philips, CD-ROM/XA was an extension of the CD-ROM format that
combines compressed audio, visual, and computer data, allowing all to
be accessed simultaneously. Nintendo approached Sony to develop a
CD-ROM add-on, tentatively titled the "SNES-CD". A contract was
signed, and work began. Nintendo's choice of Sony was due to a prior
dealing: Ken Kutaragi, the person who would later be dubbed "The
Father of the PlayStation", was the individual who had sold Nintendo on using the Sony SPC-700 processor for use
as the eight-channel ADPCM sound set in the Super Famicom/SNES console through an impressive demonstration
of the processor's capabilities.
[1]
Ironically, Kutaragi was nearly fired by Sony because he was originally working with Nintendo on the side without
Sony's knowledge (while still employed by Sony). It was then-CEO, Norio Ohga, who recognised the potential in
PlayStation
362
Kutaragi's chip, and in working with Nintendo on the project. Ohga kept Kutaragi on at Sony, and it was not until
Nintendo cancelled the project that Sony decided to develop its own console.
[2]
Sony also planned to develop a Super Nintendo-compatible, Sony-branded console, but one which would be more of
a home entertainment system playing both Super Nintendo cartridges and a new CD format which Sony would
design. This was also to be the format used in SNES-CDs, giving a large degree of control to Sony despite
Nintendo's leading position in the video gaming market.
The DualShock controller.
The product, dubbed the "Play Station" was to be announced at the
May 1991 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). However, when
Nintendo's Hiroshi Yamauchi read the original 1988 contract between
Sony and Nintendo, he realized that the earlier agreement essentially
handed Sony complete control over any and all titles written on the
SNES CD-ROM format. Yamauchi decided that the contract was
totally unacceptable and he secretly canceled all plans for the joint
Nintendo-Sony SNES CD attachment. Instead of announcing a
partnership between Sony and Nintendo, at 9am the day of the CES,
Nintendo chairman Howard Lincoln stepped onto the stage and
revealed that Nintendo was now allied with Philips, and Nintendo was
planning on abandoning all the previous work Nintendo and Sony had accomplished. Lincoln and Minoru Arakawa
had, unbeknownst to Sony, flown to Philips' global headquarters in the Netherlands and formed an alliance of a
decidedly different natureone that would give Nintendo total control over its licenses on Philips machines.
After the collapse of the joint project, Sony considered halting their research, but ultimately the company decided to
use what they had developed so far and make it into a complete, stand-alone console. As a result, Nintendo filed a
lawsuit claiming breach of contract and attempted, in U.S. federal court, to obtain an injunction against the release of
what was originally christened the "Play Station", on the grounds that Nintendo owned the name. The federal judge
presiding over the case denied the injunction and, in October 1991, the first incarnation of the aforementioned brand
new game system was revealed. However, it is theorised that only 200 or so of these machines were ever produced.
PlayStation Memory Card.
By the end of 1992, Sony and Nintendo reached a deal whereby the
"Play Station" would still have a port for SNES games, but Nintendo
would own the rights and receive the bulk of the profits from the
games, and the SNES would continue to use the Sony-designed audio
chip. However, Sony decided in early 1993 to begin reworking the
"Play Station" concept to target a new generation of hardware and
software. As part of this process the SNES cartridge port was dropped
and the space between the names "Play Station" was removed
becoming "PlayStation", thereby ending Nintendo's involvement with
the project. Sony's North American division, known as Sony Computer
Entertainment America (SCEA), originally planned to market the new
console under the alternative branding "PSX" following the negative feedback regarding "PlayStation" in focus
group studies. Early advertising prior to the console's launch in North America referenced PSX, but the term was
scrapped before launch.
PlayStation
363
Launch
The PlayStation was launched in Japan on December 3, 1994, North America on September 9, 1995, Europe on
September 29, 1995, and Oceania on November 15, 1995. The launch price in the American market was US$299 and
Sony enjoyed a very successful launch with titles of almost every genre, including Battle Arena Toshinden, Doom,
Warhawk, Air Combat, Philosoma, Ridge Racer and Rayman. Almost all of Sony's and Namco's launch titles went
on to spawn numerous sequels.
Critics praised the console for the quality of its 3-dimensional graphics. Then Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates,
preferred Sony's console to the competition from Sega, saying "Our game designer likes the Sony machine."
[3]
Microsoft would later compete with Sony with its Xbox console. In a special Game Machine Cross Review in May
1995, Famicom Tsshin would score the PlayStation console a 19 out of 40.
[4]
Functionality
In addition to playing games, the PlayStation has the ability to play audio CDs (Asian model SCPH-5903 can also
play Video CDs). The CD player has the ability to shuffle the playback order, play the songs in a programmed order,
and repeat one song or the entire disc. Later PlayStation models can utilise a music visualisation function called
SoundScope. This function, as well as a memory card manager, can be accessed by starting the console either
without inserting a game or keeping the CD tray open, thereby accessing a GUI for the PlayStation BIOS.
The actual GUI for both PSone and PlayStation differ graphically depending on firmware versions: the original
PlayStation GUI had a dark blue background with rainbow graffiti used as buttons; the early PAL PlayStation and
PSone GUI had a grey blocked background with 2 icons in the middle, different on each version. If the CD lid is
closed with a game inside at any time while at the menu, the game will immediately start.
Software library
See also: List of PlayStation games and Chronology of Sony PlayStation games
As of June 30, 2007, a total of 7,918 software titles have been released worldwide (counting games released in
multiple regions as separate titles). As of March 31, 2007, the cumulative software shipment was at 962 million
units. The last game for the system released in the United States was FIFA Football 2005. However, several
reprinted and remastered editions were released in later years. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection was
released on July 26, 2007, which contained Metal Gear Solid in the original PlayStation format. In 2011, Capcom
released the Resident Evil 15th Anniversary Collection, and in 2012, Square Enix released the Final Fantasy 25th
Anniversary Ultimate Box in Japan containing all of the Final Fantasy titles, a majority of which were in the PS1
format.
Regional variants
The OK and Cancel buttons on most of the Japanese PlayStation games are reversed in their North American and
European releases. In Japan, the button (maru, right) is used as the OK button, while the button (batsu,
wrong) is used as Cancel. North American and European releases have the button or the buttons as the OK
button, while either the or the button is used as Cancel (some titles like Xenogears used the button for
cancelling actions and selections, along with the PlayStation 2 system browser and the XrossMedia Bar on the
PlayStation 3 and the PSP). However, a few games, such as Square's Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy VII (which used
the button as cancel) and Final Fantasy Tactics, Namco's Ridge Racer Type 4, and Konami's Metal Gear Solid,
use the Japanese button layout worldwide. Some other games, like the Japanese version of Gran Turismo, had used
different controls that are similar to North American games. These Japanese button layouts still apply to other
PlayStation consoles. This is because in the early years Sony America (SCEA), Sony Europe (SCEE), and Sony
Japan (SCEJ) had different development and testing documents (TRCs) for their respective territories.
PlayStation
364
Hardware
Hardware problems
With the early units, particularly the early 100x models, many gamers experience skipping full-motion video or
physical "ticking" noises coming from their PlayStation units. The problem appears to have come from poorly placed
vents leading to overheating in some environmentsthe plastic mouldings inside the console can warp very slightly
and create knock-on effects with the laser assembly. The solution is to ensure that the console sits on a surface which
dissipates heat efficiently in a well vented area, or raise the unit up slightly from its resting surface.
The first batch of PlayStations used a KSM-440AAM laser unit whose case and all movable parts were completely
made out of plastic. Over time, friction causes the plastic lens sled rail to wear outusually unevenly. The
placement of the laser unit close to the power supply accelerated wear because of the additional heat, which makes
the plastic even more vulnerable to friction. Eventually, one side of the lens sled can become so worn that the laser
can tilt, no longer pointing directly at the CD. This would cause data read errors and games would no longer load.
One common fix is to turn the PlayStation upside down, making the lens sled rest on the unworn top rails. Sony
eventually fixed the problem by making the sled tails out of die-cast metal and placing the laser unit slightly farther
away from the power supply on later models of the PlayStation.
Copy protection
Prior to the PlayStation, the reproduction of copyrighted material for gaming consoles was restricted to either
enthusiasts with exceptional technical ability, or others that had access to CD manufacturers. However, the increased
availability of cheap CD burners at this time led Sony to introduce a special wobble pressed into PlayStation
formatted discs. As a result any discs that did not contain the wobble such as CD-R copies or standard pirated discs
could not boot on the console.
The installation of a modchip allowed the PlayStation to play games recorded on a regular CD-R. It also allowed the
console's capabilities to be expanded in other ways, such as playing games from other regions. By the end of the
system's life cycle almost anyone with minimal soldering experience was able to perform these modifications. This
created a wave of games developed without official approval using free, unofficial tools, as well as the reproduction
of original discs. With the introduction of such devices the console became very attractive to programmers and
illegal copiers alike, as well as those who merely wished to protect the lifespan of their lawful, original discs.
Some companies (notably Datel) did manage to produce discs that booted on unmodified retail units while using
special equipment.
PlayStation
365
Models
Main article: PlayStation models
A comparison of the SCPH-1001 (bottom),
SCPH-5001 (middle) and SCPH-9001 (top)
models. The SCPH-900x revision saw the
removal of the Parallel I/O port while the RCA
jacks were removed in the SCPH-500x revision.
The PlayStation went through a number of variants during its
production run. From an external perspective, the most notable change
between variants was the reduction in the number of connectors. The
RCA jacks were removed in the first revision, and the Parallel I/O port
was removed in the final revision.
On July 7, 2000, Sony released the PSone, a smaller, redesigned
version of the original PlayStation. It was the highest-selling console
through the end of the year, even outselling its successor, the
PlayStation 2, which debuted a few months earlier. A version of the
PSone included a 5-inch (130mm) LCD screen, referred to as the
"Combo pack".
In 1997, Sony marketed a development kit for hobbyists also known as
the Net Yaroze. The development console came with the necessary
documentation and software to program PlayStation games and
applications.
Main article: PlayStation technical specifications
CPU: 32-bit RISC (33.9MHz)
RAM: 2MB, 1MB Video RAM
Graphics: 3D Geometry Engine, with 2D rotation, scaling, transparency and fading and 3D texture mapping and
shading
Colors: 16.7 million
Sprites: 4,000
Polygons: 360,000 per second
Resolution: 640x480
Sound: 16-bit 24 channel PCM
Successors
Main article: PlayStation 2
Sony's successor to the PlayStation is the PlayStation 2, which is backwards compatible with its predecessor in that it
can play almost every PlayStation game. The third generation of the PlayStation, the PlayStation 3, was launched on
November 11, 2006 in Japan, November 17, 2006 in North America, and March 23, 2007 in Europe. Like the
PlayStation 2, the PlayStation 3 is able to play most original PlayStation games (with some early models also able to
play PlayStation 2 games). While PlayStation 3 games are not region-locked, PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games
are only playable on PlayStation 3 consoles from the same region. A third successor, the PlayStation 4, was
announced by Sony on February 20, 2013 and was released in the US on November 15, Europe was November 29,
2013 and Japan and Asia in February 22, 2014.
[5]
However, it is not backwards compatible with any of the earlier
consoles.
The PlayStation Portable, or PSP, is a handheld game console first released in late 2004. The PSP is capable of
playing PlayStation games downloaded via Sony's online store, and can also play any PlayStation game by using the
PlayStation 3's remote play feature while the disc is in the PlayStation 3. Sony hopes to release nearly all PlayStation
games on a gradual basis. It is also possible to convert original PlayStation disc images into executable binaries
PlayStation
366
using freely available software. These games are then playable on PSPs that have been modified to run unsigned
code.
The successor to the PSP, the PlayStation Vita, was introduced as a part of the 8th generation of video game
consoles, and was backwards compatible with original PlayStation portable as well as PS1 Games via
Download.
[6][7]
Legacy
Sony Computer Entertainment was an upstart in the video game industry in 1994, as the early 1990s were dominated
by Nintendo and Sega. Nintendo had been the clear leader in the video game industry since the introduction of the
NES in 1985 and the Nintendo 64 was initially expected to maintain this position for Nintendo. Sony focused on a
broader base of audiences including adults, and marketed the PlayStation for newcomers and an older age group but
ignored the younger audience below 15 who were perceived to be staunch in their loyalty to Nintendo and Sega. By
the late 1990s, Sony became a highly regarded console brand due to the PlayStation, with a significant lead over
second-place Nintendo while Sega was relegated to a distant third.
The PlayStation's lead in installed base and developer support paved the way for the success of the next-generation
PlayStation 2, which overcame an early launch from the Sega Dreamcast and then fended off competition from the
Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube.
CD format
The success of the PlayStation is widely believed to have influenced the demise of the cartridge-based home console.
While not the first system to utilise an optical disc format, it was the first success story, and ended up going
head-to-head with the last major home console to rely on proprietary cartridgesthe Nintendo 64.
Nintendo was very public about its scepticism toward using CDs and DVDs to store games, citing longer load times
and durability issues. It was widely speculated that the company was even more concerned with the proprietary
cartridge format's ability to help enforce copy protection, given its substantial reliance on licensing and exclusive
titles for its revenue. Piracy was rampant on the PlayStation due to the relative ease of the installation of a modchip,
allowing the PlayStation to play games region free and/or recorded on a regular CD-R, making the console very
attractive to programmers and illegal copiers alike.
The increasing complexity of games (in content, graphics, and sound) pushed cartridges to their storage limits and
this gradually turned off some third-party developers. Part of the CD format's appeal to publishers was due to the fact
that they could be produced at a significantly lower cost and offered more production flexibility to meet demand. As
a result, some third-party developers switched to the PlayStation, such as Squaresoft, whose Final Fantasy VII, and
Enix (later merged with Squaresoft to create Square Enix), whose Dragon Quest VII titles were initially pre-planned
for the N64; while some who remained released fewer games to the Nintendo 64 (Konami, releasing only thirteen
N64 games but over fifty on the PlayStation). While new games were coming out rapidly for the PlayStation, new
Nintendo 64 game releases were infrequent and that system's biggest successes were developed by either Nintendo
itself or by second-parties of Nintendo, such as Rare.
For more details on game console storage issues and alternatives, see Nintendo 64 Game Pak and 64DD#Hardware .
PlayStation
367
References
[1] [1] "Game Over", by David Scheff
[2] Swearingen, Jake. "Great Intrapreneurs in Business History". CBSnews.com, 2008. http:/ / www. cbsnews. com/
8301-505125_162-51196888/ great-intrapreneurs-in-business-history/
[3] [3] Brandt, Richard L. "Nintendo Battles for its Life." Upside 7.10 (1995): 50-. ABI/INFORM Global. Web. 24 May 2012.
[4] Game Machine Cross Review: . Weekly Famicom Tsshin. No.335. Pg.166. 1219 May 1995.
[5] http:/ / www. techradar. com/ news/ gaming/ consoles/ ps4-release-date-news-and-features-937822
[6] 2013-09-09, PS Vita TV Remade Into A Console For $95, Plays Vita And PSP Games On Your TV (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2013/ 09/
09/ ps-vita-tv-remade-into-a-console-for-95-play-vita-and-psp-on-your-tv/ ), Siliconera
[7] 2013-09-09, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INTRODUCES PLAYSTATION(R) VITA TV (http:/ / scei. co. jp/ corporate/
release/ pdf/ 130909c_e.pdf) (Corporate Release), Sony Computer Entertainment
Sega Saturn
368
Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
Top: Western and Eastern Sega Saturn logos
Middle: Model 1 "Oval Button" NA console with model 1 controller
Bottom: Model 2 "Round Button" JP console and controller
Manufacturer Sega
Retail availability
JP
November 22, 1994
NA
May 11, 1995
EU
July 8, 1995
Discontinued
JP
December 23, 1998
NA
November 30, 1998
Units sold 9.5 million
Media CD-ROM, CD+G
CPU 2 Hitachi SH-2 32-bit RISC (28.6MHz)
Storage Internal RAM, cartridge
Display RF
Composite video
S-video
Graphics VDP1 32-bit video display processor (VDP1) & VDP2 32-bit background and scroll plane video display processor (VDP2)
Online services Sega NetLink
Predecessor Sega Genesis
Successor Dreamcast
The Sega Saturn ( Sega SatnHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a 32-bit
fifth-generation video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995
in North America and July 8, 1995 in Europe as the successor to the successful Sega Genesis. At the center of the
Saturn is a dual-CPU architecture and a total of eight processors. Its games are in CD-ROM format, and its game
library contains a number of arcade ports as well as original titles.
Sega Saturn
369
Development of the Saturn began in 1992, the same year Sega's groundbreaking 3D Model 1 arcade hardware
debuted. The system adopted parallel processors before the end of 1993, and was designed around a new CPU
specially commissioned by Sega from Japanese electronics company Hitachi. When Sega learned the full capabilities
of the forthcoming Sony PlayStation console in early 1994, the company responded by incorporating an additional
video display processor into the Saturn's design. Successful on launch in Japan due to the popularity of a port of the
arcade game Virtua Fighter, the system debuted in the United States in a surprise launch four months before its
scheduled release date, but failed to sell in large numbers. After the launch, Sega's upper management structure
changed with the departures of chairman David Rosen and Sega of Japan CEO Hayao Nakayama from their roles in
the American division, and Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske from the company altogether. This led to the
additions of Shoichiro Irimajiri and Bernie Stolar to Sega of America, who guided the Saturn to its discontinuation in
1998 in North America, three years after its release. Although the system is remembered for several well-regarded
games, including Nights into Dreams..., the Panzer Dragoon series, and the Virtua Fighter series, the Saturn's
complex system architecture resulted in the console receiving limited third-party support, which inhibited
commercial success. The failure of Sega's development teams to create a game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series,
known in development as Sonic X-treme, has also been attributed as a factor in the console's poor performance.
After the launch of the Nintendo 64 by Nintendo in late 1996, the Saturn began losing market share rapidly in the
United States, and company management began to publicly distance itself from the system. By March 1998 the
Saturn had sold 9.5 million units worldwide, significantly fewer than the sales of its biggest rival, the PlayStation.
The Saturn's installed base reached over 5 million units in Japan, over 2 million units in the United States, and over
970,000 units in Western Europe. It is considered a commercial failure, contributing heavily to the loss of US$309
million for Sega by 1998, and another $450 million during 1998. Reception to the Saturn is mixed based on the
console's game library and complex internal hardware. Sega's management has also been criticized for its
decision-making during the system's development and cancellation.
History
Background
Prior to development of the Saturn, the Sega Genesis was Sega's entry into the fourth generation of video game
consoles. It was released in Japan as the Mega Drive in 1988, North America in 1989, and Europe as the Mega Drive
in 1990. In mid-1990, Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama hired Tom Kalinske as President and CEO of Sega of America.
Kalinske developed a four-point plan for sales of the Genesis: lower the price of the console, create a U.S.-based
team to develop games targeted at the American market, continue aggressive advertising campaigns, and sell Sonic
the Hedgehog with the console.
[1]
The Japanese board of directors initially disapproved of the plan,
[2]
but all four
points were approved by Nakayama, who told Kalinske, "I hired you to make the decisions for Europe and the
Americas, so go ahead and do it."
[2][3]
Magazines praised Sonic as one of the greatest games yet made, and Sega's
console finally took off as customers who had been waiting for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
decided to purchase a Genesis instead.
[4]
However, the release of a CD-based add-on for the Genesis, the Sega CD
(known as Mega-CD outside of North America), had been commercially disappointing.
Sega also experienced success with arcade games. In 1992 and 1993, the company's new Sega Model 1 arcade
system board showcased Sega AM2's Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter, which played a crucial role in popularizing
3D polygonal graphics.
[5][6]
The Model 1 was an expensive system board, and bringing home releases of its games to
the Genesis required more than its hardware could handle. Several alternatives helped to bring Sega's newest arcade
games to the console, such as the Sega Virtua Processor chip used for Virtua Racing, and eventually the Sega 32X
add-on.
Sega Saturn
370
Development
Development of the Saturn was supervised by Hideki Sato, Sega's director and deputy general manager of research
and development.
[7]
According to Sega project manager Hideki Okamura, the Saturn project started over two years
before the system was showcased at the Tokyo Game Show in June 1994. The name "Saturn" was initially the
system's codename during development in Japan, but was eventually chosen as the official product name. In 1993,
Sega and Japanese electronics company Hitachi formed a joint venture to develop a new CPU for the Saturn, which
resulted in the creation of the "SuperH RISC Engine" (or SH-2) later that year.
[8][9]
The Saturn was ultimately
designed around a dual-SH2 configuration. According to Saturn section chief Kazuhiro Hamada, "the SH-2 was
chosen for reasons of cost and efficiency. The chip has a calculation system similar to a DSP [digital signal
processor], but we realized that a single CPU would not be enough to calculate a 3D world." Although the Saturn's
design was largely finished before the end of 1993, reports in early 1994 of the technical capabilities of Sony's
upcoming PlayStation console prompted Sega to include an additional video display processor (VDP) to improve the
system's 2D performance and texture-mapping. CD-ROM-based and cartridge-only versions of the Saturn hardware
were considered for simultaneous release at one point during the system's development, but this idea was discarded
due to concerns over the lower quality and higher price of cartridge-based games.
According to Kalinske, Sega of America "fought against the architecture of Saturn for quite some time". Seeking an
alternative graphics chip for the Saturn, Kalinske attempted to broker a deal with Silicon Graphics, but Sega of Japan
rejected the proposal.
[10]
Silicon Graphics subsequently collaborated with Nintendo on the Nintendo 64.
[11]
Kalinske, Sony Electronic Publishing's Olaf Olafsson, and Sony America's Micky Schulhof had previously discussed
development of a joint "Sega/Sony hardware system", a plan that also faced opposition from Sega of Japan.
[12]
Publicly, however, Kalinske defended the Saturn's design: "Our people feel that they need the multiprocessing to be
able to bring to the home what we're doing next year in the arcades."
[13]
In 1993, Sega restructured its internal studios in preparation for the Saturn's launch. To ensure high-quality 3D
games would be available early in the Saturn's life, and to create a more energetic working environment, developers
from Sega's arcade division were instructed to create console games. New teams, such as Panzer Dragoon developer
Team Andromeda, were formed during this time.
In January 1994, Sega began to develop an add-on for the Genesis, the Sega 32X, which would serve as a
less-expensive entry into the 32-bit era. The decision to create the add-on was made by Nakayama and widely
supported by Sega of America employees. According to former Sega of America producer Scot Bayless, Nakayama
was worried that the Saturn would not be available until after 1994 and that the recently released Atari Jaguar would
reduce Sega's hardware sales. As a result, Nakayama ordered his engineers to have the system ready for launch by
the end of the year. The 32X would not be compatible with the Saturn, but Sega executive Richard Brudvik-Lindner
pointed out that the 32X would play Genesis titles, and had the same system architecture as the Saturn.
[14]
This was
justified by Sega's statement that both platforms would run at the same time, and that the 32X would be aimed at
players who could not afford the more expensive Saturn. According to Sega of America research and development
head Joe Miller, the 32X served a role in assisting development teams to familiarize themselves with the dual SH-2
architecture also used in the Saturn. Because both machines shared many of the same parts and were preparing to
launch around the same time, tensions emerged between Sega of America and Sega of Japan when the Saturn was
given priority.
Sega Saturn
371
Launch
A first model Japanese Sega Saturn unit
Sega released the Saturn in Japan on November 22,
1994, at a price of JP44,800. Virtua Fighter, a nearly
indistinguishable port of the popular arcade game, sold
at a nearly 1:1 ratio with the Saturn hardware at launch
and was crucial to the system's early success in
Japan.
[15][16][17]
In addition to Virtua Fighter, Sega had
wanted the launch to include both Clockwork Knight
and Panzer Dragoon, but the latter was not ready in
time. Fueled by the popularity of Virtua Fighter, Sega's
initial shipment of 200,000 Saturn units sold out on the
first day.
[5][18]
Sega waited until the December 3
launch of the PlayStation to ship more units; when both were sold side-by-side, the Saturn proved to be the more
popular system.
[19]
Meanwhile, the 32X was released on November 21, 1994 in North America, December 3, 1994
in Japan, and January 1995 in PAL territories, and was sold at less than half of the Saturn's launch price. After the
holiday season, however, interest in the 32X rapidly declined.
In March 1995, Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske announced that the Saturn would be released in the U.S. on
"Saturnday" (Saturday) September 2, 1995.
[13]
However, Sega of Japan mandated an early launch to give the Saturn
an advantage over the PlayStation.
[20]
Therefore, at the first Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles on
May 11, 1995, Kalinske gave a keynote presentation for the upcoming Saturn in which he revealed the release price
at US$399 (including a bundled copy of Virtua Fighter), and described the features of the console. Kalinske also
revealed that, due to "high consumer demand", Sega had already shipped 30,000 Saturns to Toys "R" Us, Babbage's,
Electronics Boutique, and Software Etc. for immediate release.
[21]
This announcement upset retailers who were not
informed of the surprise release;
[22]
KB Toys responded by dropping Sega from its lineup.
[21]
Sony subsequently
unveiled the retail price for the PlayStation, with speaker Steve Race taking the stage, saying "$299", and walking
away to applause.
[23][24]
The Saturn's release in Europe also came before the previously announced North American
date, on July 8, 1995, at a price of GB399.99. Due to the surprise launch, European retailers and press did not have
time to promote the system or its games, leading to poor sales upon its European release.
Because of the early launch, the Saturn had only six games (all published by Sega) available to start as most
third-party games were slated to be released around the original launch date. Virtua Fighter's relative lack of
popularity in the West,
[25]
combined with a release schedule of only two games between the surprise launch and
September 1995, prevented Sega from capitalizing on the Saturn's early timing.
[26]
Within two days of its September
9, 1995 launch in North America, the PlayStation (backed by a large marketing campaign
[27][28]
) sold more units
than the Saturn had in the five months following its surprise launch.
[29]
In addition, Sony's liberal $10 licensing fee
and excellent development tools attracted many third-party developers to the PlayStation.
[28]
A high-quality port of
the Namco arcade game Ridge Racer contributed to the PlayStation's early success,
[19]
and garnered favorable
comparisons in the media to the Saturn version of Sega's Daytona USA.
[30][31][32][33]
By the end of the year, retailers
were reporting that a Saturn price reduction to $299 (which resulted in significant financial losses for Sega) and
high-quality Saturn ports of the Sega Model 2 arcade hits Sega Rally Championship, Virtua Cop, and Virtua Fighter
2 had increased demand for the system but failed to reverse the PlayStation's decisive lead.
[34]
By 1996, the
PlayStation had a considerably larger library than the Saturn, although Sega hoped to generate increased interest in
the Saturn with upcoming exclusives such as Nights into Dreams....
[26]
At the 1996 E3 show, Sony announced a
PlayStation price reduction to $199, and shortly afterwards Sega decided to match this price, although Saturn
hardware was more expensive to manufacture.
[34]
Sega Saturn
372
Changes at Sega
"I thought the world of [Hayao] Nakayama because of his love of software. We spoke about building a new hardware platform that I
would be very, very involved with, shape the direction of this platform, and hire a new team of people and restructure Sega. That, to
me, was a great opportunity."
Bernie Stolar, on his joining Sega of America.
Despite the launch of the PlayStation and the Saturn, sales of 16-bit hardware/software continued to account for 64%
of the video game market in 1995.
[35]
However, Sega underestimated the continued popularity of the Genesis, and
did not have the inventory to meet demand for the product.
[35]
Sega was able to capture 43 percent of the dollar share
of the U.S. video game market and sell more than 2 million Genesis units in 1995, but Kalinske estimated that "we
could have sold another 300,000 Genesis systems in the November/December timeframe." Nakayama's decision to
focus on the Saturn over the Genesis, based on the systems' relative performance in Japan, has been cited as the
major contributing factor in this miscalculation.
[36]
Due to long-standing disagreements with Sega of Japan, Kalinske became increasingly disinterested in his work as
CEO of Sega of America.
[37]
By the spring of 1996, rumors were circulating that Kalinske planned to leave Sega,
[38]
and a July 13 article in the press reported speculation that Sega of Japan was planning significant changes to Sega of
America's management team. On July 16, 1996 Sega announced that Shoichiro Irimajiri had been appointed
chairman and CEO of Sega of America, while Kalinske would be leaving Sega after September 30 of that year.
[39]
A
former Honda executive,
[40]
Irimajiri had been actively involved with Sega of America since joining Sega in 1993.
Sega also announced that David Rosen and Nakayama had resigned from their positions as chairman and
co-chairman of Sega of America, though both men remained with the company.
[39]
Bernie Stolar, a former executive
at Sony Computer Entertainment of America,
[41]
was named Sega of America's executive vice president in charge of
product development and third-party relations. Stolar, who had arranged a six-month PlayStation exclusivity deal for
Mortal Kombat 3
[42]
and helped build close relations with Electronic Arts while at Sony, was perceived as a major
asset by Sega officials. Finally, Sega of America made plans to expand its PC software business.
[40]
Stolar was not supportive of the Saturn due to his belief that the hardware was poorly designed, and publicly
announced at E3 1997 that "The Saturn is not our future." While Stolar had "no interest in lying to people" about the
Saturn's prospects, he continued to emphasize quality games for the system, and subsequently reflected that "we tried
to wind it down as cleanly as we could for the consumer."
[41]
At Sony, Stolar opposed the localization of certain
Japanese PlayStation titles that he felt would not represent the system well in North America,
[42]
and he advocated a
similar policy for the Saturn during his time at Sega.
These changes were accompanied by a softer image that Sega was beginning to portray in its advertising, including
removing the "Sega" scream and holding press events for the education industry.
[26]
Marketing for the Saturn in
Japan also changed with the introduction of Segata Sanshiro as a character in Japanese advertisements in 1997.
Temporarily abandoning arcade development, Sega AM2 head Yu Suzuki began developing several
Saturn-exclusive games, including Virtua Fighter RPG. Suzuki hoped the latter, "a revenge epic in the tradition of
Chinese cinema", would be the Saturn's killer app. Development was eventually shifted to the Saturn's successor, the
Dreamcast, as the game evolved into Shenmue.
[43]
In 1997, Sega entered into a short-lived merger with Japanese toy maker Bandai. Bandai later called the merger off,
citing "cultural differences" between the two companies. In the same year, the first GameWorks entertainment
complexes opened in a joint collaboration between Sega, DreamWorks, and Universal Studios.
[44]
Sega Saturn
373
Cancellation of Sonic X-treme
Main article: Sonic X-treme
Following the completion of Sonic & Knuckles in 1994, Sega began working on the next game in its Sonic the
Hedgehog franchise, which was known in development as Sonic X-treme and would have been the first Sonic game
to feature fully 3D graphics. Development of the game was started by Sega Technical Institute, a U.S.-based
developer that had worked on several previous Sonic games, beginning on the Sega Genesis and subsequently
moving to the Sega 32X. Its design changed significantly and evolved beyond the capabilities of the struggling Sega
32X, so the game was finally shifted to the Saturn. The Saturn version of the project was initially developed
separately by two teams in parallel starting in the second half of 1995. One team, led by designer Chris Senn and
programmer Ofer Alon, was in charge of developing the main game on a PC. The other team, lead by Robert Morgan
and including programmer Chris Coffin, worked on porting Senn and Alon's work to the Saturn while developing the
"free-roaming, 'arena-style'" 3D boss engine. Senn and Alon's "fixed-camera side-scroller" with the ability "to move
freely in all directions" was similar to Bug!, and featured a fish-eye camera system (called the "Reflex Lens") that
gave players a wide-angle view of the action. As a result, levels appeared to move around Sonic. Since their
approach was similar to the Nights game engine, they requested access to it as a starting point, but its creator, Yuji
Naka, reportedly threatened to leave the company if it was used.
In March 1996, Sega of Japan representatives, including CEO Hayao Nakayama, visited STI headquarters to
evaluate the game's progress. They were unimpressed by the main game engine's performance on the Saturn,
although Senn and Alon did not have an opportunity to demonstrate the PC version. Therefore, Nakayama requested
the entire game be reworked around the boss engine. To achieve this in time for the strict December 1996 deadline,
Coffin's team was moved into a place of isolation from further company politics and worked between sixteen and
twenty hours a day.
Senn and Alon had initially continued on with their game engine, undeterred by their work's original rejection,
hoping to pitch it Sega's PC division. However, it was eventually rejected again, prompting Alon to leave Sega.
Meanwhile, Coffin, who had been overworking to get the project out, came down with pneumonia. All of this meant
that the game could not be released in time. Although Sega initially stated that X-treme had merely been delayed, the
project was cancelled in early 1997. For the 1996 holiday season, Sega instead decided to concentrate on a port of
the Genesis title Sonic 3D Blast, and Sonic Team's Nights. Sonic Team started work on an original 3D Sonic title for
the Saturn (which eventually became Sonic Adventure), but development was shifted to the Dreamcast. According to
Naka, remnants of the project can be seen in the compilation Sonic Jam. STI was officially disbanded in 1996 as a
result of changes in management at Sega of America.
Following the game's cancellation, journalists and fans have speculated about the impact a completed X-treme might
have had on the market. David Houghton of GamesRadar described the prospect of "a good 3D Sonic game" on the
Saturn as "a 'What if...' situation on a par with the dinosaurs not becoming extinct." IGN's Tavis Fahs called X-treme
"the turning point not only for SEGA's mascot and their 32-bit console, but for the entire company", although he also
noted that the game served as "an empty vessel for SEGA's ambitions and the hopes of their fans". Dave Zdyrko,
who operated a prominent website for Saturn fans during the system's lifespan, offered a more nuanced perspective:
"I don't know if [X-treme] could've saved the Saturn, but... Sonic helped make the Genesis and it made absolutely no
sense why there wasn't a great new Sonic title ready at or near the launch of the [Saturn]". In a 2013 retrospective,
producer Mike Wallis maintained that X-treme "definitely would have been competitive" with Nintendo's Super
Mario 64.
Sega Saturn
374
Decline
After the launch of the Nintendo 64, sales of the Saturn and Sega's 32-bit software were sharply reduced. As of
August 1997, Sony controlled 47 percent of the console market, Nintendo controlled 40 percent, and Sega controlled
only 12 percent. Neither price cuts nor high-profile game releases were proving helpful to the Saturn's success.
[41]
Due to the Saturn's poor performance in North America, 60 of Sega of America's 200 employees were laid off in the
fall of 1997. Sega announced its final games for the North American market on March 14, 1998, and by the time the
Saturn was discontinued had sold 2 million consoles in the region, compared to 10.75 million PlayStation consoles
sold by Sony at that time. The Saturn would last longer in Japan and Europe.
[45]
In Japan, the console sold 5 million
units, compared to the 3.5 million of Sega's previous console, the Genesis. 971,000 consoles were sold in Europe by
the beginning of 1998.
"I thought the Saturn was a mistake as far as hardware was concerned. The games were obviously terrific, but the hardware just
wasn't there."
Bernie Stolar, former president of Sega of America giving his assessment of the Saturn in 2009.
Selling an estimated 9.5 million units worldwide, the Saturn is considered a commercial failure. By March 1998,
Sega reported losses of $309 million on the Saturn, and had begun to focus on a successor, the Dreamcast.
[46]
During
1998, Sega took an additional $450 million loss.
[41]
According to Stolar, his decision to abandon the Saturn was due
to Sega's losses and his desire to rebuild with a new team. The decision to abandon the Saturn effectively left the
Western market without Sega games for over a year. Rumors about the upcoming Dreamcast were leaked to the
public before the last Saturn games were released.
[40]
The Dreamcast was released on November 27, 1998 in Japan
and on September 9, 1999 in North America.
[47]
Hitachi SH-2 Saturn Custom Sound Processor a.k.a YMF292 Motorola 68EC000
Video display processor 1 Video display processor 2 Saturn motherboard
Featuring a total of eight processors, the Saturn's main central processing units are two Hitachi SH-2 chips clocked at
28.6MHz. The system contains a Motorola 68EC000 running at 11.3MHz as a sound controller, a custom sound
processor with an integrated DSP running at 22.6MHz capable of up to 32 sound channels with both FM and PCM
sampling at a maximum rate of 44.1kHz, and two video display processors. Its double-speed CD-ROM drive is
controlled by a dedicated Hitachi SH-1 processor to reduce load times. The Saturn's System Control Unit (SCU),
Sega Saturn
375
which controls all buses and functions as a co-processor of the main SH-2 CPU, has an internal DSP running at
14.3MHz. In addition, the Saturn contains a cartridge slot for memory expansion, 16 Mbit of work random-access
memory (RAM), 12 Mbit of video RAM and 4 Mbit of RAM for sound functions. Its video output, provided by a
stereo AV cable, displays at a resolution of 320 x 224 and is capable of displaying up to 16.77 million colors
simultaneously. Physically, the Saturn measures 260 230 83mm (10.2 9.1 3.3in). The Saturn was sold
packaged with an instruction manual, one control pad, a stereo AV cable, and its 100V AC power supply, with a
power consumption of approximately 15W.
The Saturn had technically impressive hardware at the time of its release, but its complexity made harnessing this
power difficult for developers accustomed to conventional programming.
[48]
The greatest disadvantage was that both
CPUs shared the same bus and were unable to access system memory at the same time. Making full use of the 4kB
of cache memory in each CPU was critical to maintaining performance. For example, Virtua Fighter used one CPU
for each character, while Nights used one CPU for 3D environments and the other for 2D objects. The Saturn's
Visual Display Processor 2 (VDP2), which can generate and manipulate backgrounds, has also been cited as one of
the system's most important features.
[49]
"One very fast central processor would be preferable. I don't think all programmers have the ability to program two CPUsmost can
only get about one-and-a-half times the speed you can get from one SH-2. I think that only 1 in 100 programmers are good enough to
get this kind of speed [nearly double] out of the Saturn."
Yu Suzuki reflecting upon Saturn Virtua Fighter development.
The Saturn's design elicited mixed commentary among game developers and journalists. Developers quoted by Next
Generation in December 1995 described the Saturn as "a real coder's machine" for "those who love to get their teeth
into assembly and really hack the hardware", with "more flexibility" and "more calculating power than the
PlayStation". In addition, the Saturn's sound board was widely praised. By contrast, Lobotomy Software programmer
Ezra Dreisbach described the Saturn as significantly slower than the PlayStation, whereas Kenji Eno of WARP
observed little difference between the two systems. In particular, Dreisbach criticized the Saturn's use of
quadrilaterals as its basic geometric primitive, in contrast to the triangles rendered by the PlayStation and the
Nintendo 64. Third-party development was initially hindered by the lack of useful software libraries and
development tools, requiring developers to write in assembly language to achieve good performance. During early
Saturn development, programming in assembly could offer a two-to-fivefold speed increase over C language. Sega
responded to these criticisms by writing new graphics libraries which were claimed to make development easier.
Sega of America also purchased a United Kingdom-based development firm, Cross Products, to produce the Saturn's
official development system. Despite these challenges, Treasure CEO Masato Maegawa stated that the Nintendo 64
was more difficult to develop for than the Saturn.
Several different models of the Saturn were produced in Japan. An updated model in a recolored light gray was
released in Japan at a price of 20,000 in order to reduce the system's cost. Two models were released by third
parties: Hitachi released a model known as the "Hi-Saturn" (a smaller Saturn model equipped with a car navigation
function), while JVC released the "V-Saturn".
Sega Saturn
376
Model 1 North American controller 3D Pad Arcade Racer
Model 2 North American controller Saturn multitap RAM backup cartridge
A number of accessories were created for the Saturn. Its controller came in various color schemes to match each
model of the console. A wireless version powered by AA batteries utilizes infrared signal to connect to the console.
Designed to work with Nights, the 3D Pad is a fully functional controller that includes both a control pad and an
analog stick for directional input. Sega also released several versions of arcade sticks as peripherals, including the
Virtua Stick, the Virtua Stick Pro, the Mission Analog Stick, and the Twin Stick. Sega also created a light gun
peripheral known as the "Virtua Gun" for use with shooting games such as Virtua Cop and The Guardian, as well as
the Arcade Racer, a wheel for racing games. The Play Cable allows for two Saturn consoles to be connected for
multiplayer gaming across two screens, while a multitap allows up to six players to play games on the same console.
RAM cartridges expand the amount of memory in the system. Other accessories include a keyboard, mouse, floppy
disk drive, and movie card.
Like the Genesis, the Saturn also had an Internet-based gaming service. The Sega NetLink was a 28.8k modem that
fit into the cartridge slot in the Saturn for direct dial multiplayer. In Japan, a now defunct pay-to-play service was
used. It could also be used for web browsing and for sending email. Because the NetLink was released before the
Saturn keyboard, Sega produced a series of CDs containing hundreds of website addresses so that Saturn owners
could browse with just the joypad. The NetLink functioned with five games: Daytona USA, Duke Nukem 3D, Saturn
Bomberman,
[50]
Sega Rally, and Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Operation Moongate. According to Joe Miller, the
NetLink was designed for different purposes than the Sega Channel, Sega's most recent network service for the
Genesis. Sega developed a variant of the Saturn featuring a built-in NetLink modem under the code name Sega
Pluto, but it was never released.
Sega developed an arcade board based on the Saturn's hardware, called the Sega ST-V (or Titan), which was
intended as an affordable alternative to Sega's Model 2 arcade board as well as a testing ground for upcoming Saturn
software. The Titan was criticized for its comparatively weak performance by Sega AM2's Yu Suzuki and was
overproduced by Sega's arcade division. Because Sega already possessed the Die Hard license, members of Sega
AM1 working at the Sega Technical Institute developed Die Hard Arcade for the Titan, in order to clear out excess
inventory. This goal was achieved, as Die Hard became the most successful Sega arcade game produced in the
United States at that point. Other games released for the Titan include Golden Axe: The Duel and Virtua Fighter
Kids.
Sega Saturn
377
Game library
Main article: List of Sega Saturn games
Much of the Saturn's library comes from Sega's arcade ports, including Daytona USA, Die Hard Arcade, the
Fighting Vipers series, The House of the Dead, Last Bronx, Sega Rally, the Virtua Cop series, the Virtua Fighter
series, and Virtual On. In addition, Saturn ports of 2D Capcom fighting games including Darkstalkers 3, Marvel
Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 were noted for their faithfulness to their arcade
counterparts. Fighters Megamix, a Saturn exclusive, combined characters from Fighting Vipers and Virtua Fighter to
positive reviews.
[][]
Other highly rated Saturn exclusives include Panzer Dragoon Saga,
[51][52][53][54]
Dragon Force,
Guardian Heroes, Nights,
[55]
Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, and Shining Force III.
[56][57]
Although originally made for
the PlayStation, games such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Resident Evil, and Wipeout 2097 received
Saturn ports with mixed results. Tomb Raider was created with the Saturn in mind, but the PlayStation version
ultimately became better known to the public. Lobotomy Software's PowerSlave featured some of the most
impressive 3D graphics on the system, leading Sega to contract the developer to produce Saturn ports of Duke
Nukem 3D and Quake. While Electronic Arts' limited support for the Saturn and Sega's failure to develop a football
game for the 1996 fall season allowed Sony to take the lead in the sports genre,
[26]
"Sega Sports" published Saturn
sports games including the well-received World Series Baseball and Sega Worldwide Soccer series.
[58][59][60]
By
1998, the Saturn had a significantly larger library than the Nintendo 64.
[61]
Due to the cancellation of Sonic X-treme, the Saturn lacks an exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog platformer, containing
only the compilation Sonic Jam, a port of Sonic 3D Blast, and a racing game called Sonic R. Notable Saturn
platformers include Bug!, whose eponymous main character was considered to be a potential mascot. Despite
receiving positive reviews at the time
[62][63]
(and being successful enough to receive a sequel), Bug! failed to catch
on with audiences in the way Sonic had, and retrospective coverage of the game has been less positive. Sonic Team's
Nights was praised for its originality, but did not have Sonic's mainstream appeal, and critics noted it was a mostly
2D experience.
[64][65][66][67]
Sonic Team's Burning Rangers offered a fully 3D experience, but was less popular than
Nights.
[68][69]
Some of the games that made the Saturn popular in Japan, such as Grandia and the Sakura Wars series never saw a
Western release.
[70]
Despite appearing first on the Saturn, games such as Dead or Alive,
[71]
Grandia, and Lunar:
Silver Star Story Complete only saw a Western release on the PlayStation. Working Designs localized several
Japanese Saturn games before a public feud between Sega of America's Bernie Stolar and Working Designs
president Victor Ireland resulted in the company switching their support to the PlayStation.
Modern ports of Saturn games including Guardian Heroes, Nights, and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul
Hackers have continued to receive positive reviews from critics. Partly due to rarity, Saturn titles such as Panzer
Dragoon Saga
[54]
and Radiant Silvergun have been noted for their cult following. Due to the system's commercial
failure and hardware limitations, planned Saturn versions of games such as Resident Evil 2, Shenmue, Sonic
Adventure, and Virtua Fighter 3 were cancelled and moved to the Dreamcast.
At the time of its release, Famicom Tsshin scored the Saturn console 24 out of 40 possible points, higher than the
PlayStation's 19 out of 40. In December 1995, Next Generation scored the system with three and a half stars out of a
possible five, highlighting Sega's marketing and arcade background as strengths but the system's complexity as a
weakness. Electronic Gaming Monthly's December 1996 Buyer's Guide had four reviewers score the Saturn 8, 6, 7,
and 8 out of 10; these scores were inferior to those of the PlayStation, which was scored 9, 10, 9, and 9 in the same
review. By December 1998, Electronic Gaming Monthly's scores had diminished to more mixed reviews, with
reviewers citing the lack of titles for the system as a major issue. According to EGM reviewer Crispin Boyer, "the
Saturn is the only system that can thrill me one month and totally disappoint me the next."
Sega Saturn
378
Retrospective feedback of the Saturn is mixed, but generally praises its game library. According to Greg Sewart of
1UP.com, "the Saturn will go down in history as one of the most troubled, and greatest, systems of all time." In
2009, IGN chose the Saturn to be their 18th best video game console of all time, praising its unique game library.
According to the reviewers, "While the Saturn ended up losing the popularity contest to both Sony and Nintendo it
was host to a library of classic titles that epitomize the early days of SEGA's innovation in software. NiGHTS into
Dreams, the Virtua Fighter and Panzer Dragoon series are all examples of exclusive titles that made the console a
fan favorite." Retro Gamer's Damien McFerran has also praised the uniqueness of the game library, stating, "Even
today, despite the widespread availability of sequels and re-releases on other formats, the Sega Saturn is still a
worthwhile investment for those who appreciate the unique gameplay styles of the companies that supported it."
Sewart praised the Saturn's first-party titles as "Sega's shining moment as a game developer", but also commented on
the large number of Japan-exclusive Saturn releases, which he connected with a subsequent boom in the game
import market. IGN's Travis Fahs was critical of the Saturn library's lack of "fresh ideas" and "precious few
high-profile franchises", in contrast to what he described as Sega's more creative Dreamcast output.
Some criticism has befallen Sega's management regarding both the creation and handling of the Saturn. McFerran
criticizes Sega's management at the time of the Saturn's development, claiming that they had "fallen out of touch
with both the demands of the market and the industry". Bernie Stolar has also been criticized for his decision to end
support for the Saturn. According to Fahs, "Stolar's decision to abandon the Saturn made him a villain to many
SEGA fans, but he had more vision than most gave him credit for. SEGA had a lot of work to do before they'd be
ready for the next battle, and it was better to regroup than to enter the next fight battered and bruised. Dreamcast
would be Stolar's redemption." Stolar has defended his decision, stating, "I felt Saturn was hurting the company
more than helping it. That was a battle that we weren't going to win."
[41]
Sewart and IGN's Levi Buchanan cited the
failure of the Saturn as the major reason for Sega's downfall as a hardware manufacturer. Douglass C. Perry of
Gamasutra notes that, from its surprise launch to its ultimate failure, the Saturn "soured many gamers on Sega
products".
[72]
In contrast, former Working Designs president Victor Ireland described the Saturn as "the start of the
future of console gaming", explaining that it "got the better developers thinking and designing with
parallel-processing architecture in mind for the first time".
References
[1] [1] Kent 2001, p.427.
[2] [2] Kent 2001, p.428.
[3] DeMaria & Wilson 2004, p.247.
[4] [4] Kent 2001, p.431.
[5] [5] Kent 2001, p.501.
[6] Mott 2013, p.226, 250. "Virtua Racing... was perhaps the first to treat polygons not as a graphical gimmick but as an opportunity to expand
the boundaries of traditional driving games... It's like witnessing the discovery of fire... [Virtua Fighter] establish[ed] the template that future
3-D fighters would follow".
[7] [7] Harris 2014, p.386.
[8] [8] cf.
[9] [9] cf.
[10] [10] Harris 2014, p.465.
[11] [11] Harris 2014, p.464.
[12] Harris 2014, p.452. "What it boiled gown to was that Sony's Ken Kutaragi wanted to create a machine that was 100 percent dedicated to
3-D graphics, whereas Sega's Hideki Sato wanted to build a machine that could also accommodate the typical 2-D sprite-based gaming".
[13] [13] Kent 2001, p.509.
[14] [14] Kent 2001, p.494.
[15] Kent 2001, p.501502.
[16] [16] Harris 2014, p.537.
[17] [17] cf.
[18] [18] Harris 2014, p.536, gives a lower figure of 170,000.
[19] [19] Kent 2001, p.502.
[20] [20] Harris 2014, p.536.
Sega Saturn
379
[21] [21] Kent 2001, p.516.
[22] [22] cf.
[23] [23] "at the same E3: Sony's keynote speaker went up on stage, said "Two hundred and Ninety-Nine Dollars" and walked off the stage."
[24] [24] Harris 2014, p.545.
[25] [25] cf.
[26] [26] Kent 2001, p.533.
[27] DeMaria & Wilson 2004, p.282.
[28] [28] Kent, p.504.
[29] Kent 2001, p.519520.
[30] Mott 2013, p.239. "A disastrous home version [of Daytona USA] for the Sega Saturn in 1995 is reviled for its choppy frame rate and
flickering polygons".
[31] Kent 2001, p.509. "Suzuki openly admitted having trouble with the duel-processor design while working on the Saturn version of his hit
game Daytona".
[32] [32] cf.
[33] [33] A contributing factor in the high-quality of certain PlayStation arcade ports was the development of PlayStation-based arcade boards. See,
e.g., cf. cf.
[34] [34] Kent 2001, p.532.
[35] [35] Kent 2001, p.531.
[36] [36] Kent 2001, p.508.
[37] Kent 2001, p.535. Michael Latham: "[Tom] would fall asleep on occasion in meetings. That is true. These were nine-hour meetings. Sega
had a thing for meetings. You'd get there at 8:00 A.M. and then you'd get out of the meeting at, like, 4:00 P.M., so he wasn't the only person...
It wasn't the failure of the Saturn that made him lose interest; it was the inability to do something about it. He was not allowed to do anything.
The U.S. side was basically no longer in control".
[38] [38] Kent 2001, p.534.
[39] [39] Kent 2001, p.535.
[40] [40] Kent 2001, p.559.
[41] [41] Kent 2001, p.558.
[42] [42] Kent 2001, p.506.
[43] [43] Mott 2013, p.406.
[44] [44] Kent 2001, p.528.
[45] Kent 2001, p.558559.
[46] Demaria & Wilson 2004, p.282.
[47] [47] Kent 2001, p.563-564.
[48] [48] Kent 2001, p.509. "In theory, Saturn, which featured two Hitachi SH2 32-bit central processing chips, was more powerful than PlayStation.
The truth was that the SH2 chips were somewhat inferior to the chip Sony had selected... and allotting different operations to both of the
processing chips proved nearly impossible".
[49] [49] cf.
[50] [50] Mott 2013, p.309.
[51] The Saturn port of Virtua Fighter 2 is directly behind Panzer Dragoon Saga as the second highest-rated Saturn game on GameRankings.
See
[52] [52] cf.
[53] [53] cf.
[54] [54] Mott 2013, p.361.
[55] [55] Mott 2013, p.302.
[56] Shining creators Hiroyuki Takahashi and Shugo Takahashi have named Shining the Holy Ark and Shining Force 3 their favorite games in the
series. See
[57] [57] Mott 2013, p.350.
[58] [58] cf.
[59] [59] cf.
[60] [60] cf.
[61] [61] Kent 2001, p.539. "PlayStation and Saturn had hundreds of games, most of which sold for under $50. By comparison, there were merely
dozens of games for N64, some of which sold for nearly $80, and rumors were that future third-party cartridges might cost as much as $100".
[62] [62] cf.
[63] [63] cf.
[64] Kent 2001, p.533. "Naka may have established his reputation as a great designer with Sonic, but with NiGHTS he demonstrated his
versatility... NiGHTS showed the strengths and weaknesses of Saturn. The game's atmosphere and design were exceptional; but while the
game had a free-flowing 3D feel, most of it actually took place in two dimensions".
[65] [65] cf.
[66] [66] Harris 2014, p.553.
Sega Saturn
380
[67] Edge was slightly more favorable in retrospective coverage. See, e.g.,
[68] [68] cf.
[69] [69] Mott 2013, p.353.
[70] [70] cf.
[71] [71] cf.
[72] [72] Retrieved 2014-03-03.
Bibliography
Mott, Tony (2013). 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. New York, New York: Universe
Publishing. ISBN978-0-7893-2090-2.
Harris, Blake J. (2014). Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation. New York,
New York: HarperCollins. ISBN978-0-06-227669-8.
DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (2004). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games.
Emeryville, California: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. ISBN0-07-223172-6.
Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our
Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing. ISBN0-7615-3643-4.
Virtual Boy
381
Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
Retail availability
JP
July 21, 1995
NA
August 14, 1995
Discontinued
JP
December 22, 1995
NA
March 2, 1996
Units sold 770,000
Media Game Pak (ROM cartridge)
CPU NEC V810
Related articles Famicom 3D System
Nintendo 3DS
The Virtual Boy ( Bcharu BiHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) (Originally
known as VR-32) is a 32-bit table-top 3D video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was
marketed as the first "portable" video game console capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box.
It was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan and August 14, 1995 in North America at a price of around US$180. It
proved to be a commercial failure and was not released in other regions. Its lukewarm reception was unaffected by
continued price drops. Nintendo discontinued it the following year on March 2, 1996.
Virtual Boy
382
History
Development
In the early 1990s, Nintendo and Sega had seen success with their 16-bit consoles but the games market had stalled.
There was still a period of delay before the 32-bit consoles would launch, and competitors such as the PlayStation
were readying for launch. In this context, Nintendo and Sega hoped "to reignite the market for their games."
The New York Times previewed the Virtual Boy on November 13, 1994.
[]
The console was officially announced via
press release the next day, November 14. Nintendo promised that Virtual Boy would "totally immerse players into
their own private universe." The system was formally unveiled the next day at the Shoshinkai ( ) Show.
[1]
Nintendo of America showed the Virtual Boy at the Consumer Electronics Show on 6 January 1995.
While Nintendo's Research & Development 3 division (R&D3) was focused on developing the Nintendo 64, the
other two engineering units were free to experiment with new product ideas. The Virtual Boy was designed by
Gunpei Yokoi, the general manager of Nintendo's R&D1, and the inventor of the Game & Watch and Game Boy
handheld consoles. He saw the Virtual Boy as a unique technology that competitors would find difficult to emulate.
Additionally, the console was intended to enhance Nintendo's reputation as an innovator.
Initial press releases and interviews about the system focused on its technological capabilities, avoiding discussion of
the actual games that would be released. The company entered into an exclusive agreement with Reflection
Technology to license the technology for the Scanned Linear Array displays.
Problems emerged when Nintendo attempted to turn its vision into an affordable console, searching for low-cost
hardware components. Yokoi opted for red LEDs because they were the cheapest; Nintendo said a color display
would have been prohibitively expensive.
[2]
Color was also said to have caused "jumpy images in tests." Even with
cost-saving measures in place, Nintendo priced the Virtual Boy at a relatively high US$180. While slightly less
expensive than a home console (and significantly less powerful), this was considerably more costly than the Game
Boy handheld.
With seemingly more advanced graphics, the Virtual Boy was not intended to replace the Game Boy in Nintendo's
product line, as use of the system requires a steady surface and completely blocks the player's peripheral vision.
According to David Sheff's book Game Over, Yokoi never actually intended for the console to be released in its
ultimate form. However, Nintendo pushed the Virtual Boy to market so that it could focus development resources on
the Nintendo 64.
[3]
Design News described the Virtual Boy as the logical evolution of the View-Master
3-dimensional image viewer.
[4]
A number of technology demonstrations were used to show what the Virtual Boy was capable of. Driving Demo was
one of the more advanced demos; its 30-second clip showed a first-person view of driving by road signs and palm
trees. This demo was shown at E3 and CES in 1995. The start-up screen of the Virtual Boy Prototype was shown at
Shoshinkai in 1994. The demo of what would have been a Star Fox game showed a Star Fox-like Arwing doing
various spins and motions. Cinematic camera angles were a key element, as they were in Star Fox 2. It was shown at
E3 and CES in 1995.
Virtual Boy
383
Promotion
Nintendo extensively advertised the Virtual Boy, and claimed to have spent US$25 million on early promotional
activities. Advertising promoted the system as a paradigm shift from past consoles; some pieces used cavemen to
indicate a historical evolution, while others utilized psychedelic imagery. Nintendo targeted an older audience with
advertisements for the Virtual Boy, shifting away from the traditional focus on children it had employed in the past.
Nintendo portrayed the system as a type of virtual reality, as its name indicates; it was to be more than just another
gaming console. Nintendo also focused on the technological aspects of the new console in its press releases,
neglecting to detail specific games.
Confronted with the challenge of showing 3-dimensional gameplay on 2-dimensional advertisements, the company
partnered with Blockbuster and NBC in a coordinated effort. A $5 million campaign promoted NBC's fall lineup
alongside the Virtual Boy.
[5]
American viewers were encouraged via television advertisements on NBC to rent the
console for US$10 at a local Blockbuster. This made it affordable for a large number of gamers to try the system,
and produced 750,000 rentals.
[6]
Upon returning the unit, renters received a coupon for $10 off the purchase of a
Virtual Boy from any store. 3,000 Blockbuster locations were included in the promotion, which included a
sweepstakes with prizes including trips to see the taping of NBC shows. Despite its popularity, the rental system
proved harmful to the Virtual Boy's long-term success, allowing gamers to see just how un-immersive the console
was. Taken as a whole, the marketing campaign was commonly thought of as a failure.
Release
The Virtual Boy was released on July21,1995 in Japan and on August14,1995 in North America with the launch
titles Mario's Tennis, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, and Galactic Pinball.
[7]
It was not released in PAL markets. In North
America, Nintendo shipped Mario's Tennis with every Virtual Boy sold, as a pack-in game. Nintendo had initially
projected sales of 3 million consoles and 14 million games. The system arrived later than other 32-bit systems from
Sony, 3DO, and Sega, but at a lower price.
At the system's release, Nintendo of America projected hardware sales of 1.5 million units and software sales
numbering 2.5 million by the end of the year.
[8][9]
Nintendo had shipped 350,000 units of the Virtual Boy by
December 1995, around three and a half months after its North American release.
[10]
The system made number 5 on
GamePro's the "Top 10 Worst Selling Consoles of All Time" list in 2007.
The Virtual Boy did not live very long following its disappointing sales. The last official title to be released for the
Virtual Boy was 3D Tetris, released on March22,1996. Nintendo announced additional titles for the system at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo in 1996, but these games never saw the light of day. The Virtual Boy was
discontinued in late 1995 in Japan and in early 1996 in North America. Nintendo killed the system without fanfare,
avoiding an official press release.
Hardware
Main article: Virtual Boy hardware
The Virtual Boy was Nintendo's first 32-bit system. The Virtual Boy system uses a pair of 1224 linear arrays (one
per eye) and rapidly scans the array across the eye's field of view using flat oscillating mirrors. These mirrors vibrate
back and forth at a very high speed, thus the mechanical humming noise from inside the unit. Each Virtual Boy game
cartridge has a yes/no option to automatically pause every 1530 minutes so that the player may take a break before
any injuries to the eyes. One speaker per ear provides the player with audio.
[11]
Virtual Boy
384
Display
The screens of the Virtual Boy
The Virtual Boy was the first video game console that was supposed to
be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box, in a form of
virtual reality. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to
achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional screen,
the Virtual Boy creates an illusion of depth through the effect known
as parallax. In a manner similar to using a head-mounted display, the
user looks into an eyepiece made of neoprene on the front of the
machine, and then an eyeglass-style projector allows viewing of the
monochromatic (in this case, red) image. Nintendo claimed that a color
display would have made the system too expensive and resulted in "jumpy" images, so the company opted for a
monochrome display.
Control
The Virtual Boy controller
The Virtual Boy was meant to be used sitting down at a table, although
Nintendo said it would release a harness for players to use while
standing.
[]
One of the unique features of the controller is the
extendable power supply that slides onto the back. It houses the six AA
batteries required to power the system. This can be substituted with a
wall adapter, though a "slide-on" attachment is required for the
switchout. Once the slide-on adapter is installed, a power adapter can
be attached to provide constant power.
The Virtual Boy, being a system with heavy emphasis on
three-dimensional movement, needed a controller that could operate
along a Z axis. The Virtual Boy's controller was an attempt to
implement dual digital "D-pads" to control elements in the aforementioned 3D environment. The controller itself is
shaped like an "M" (similar to a Nintendo 64 controller). One holds onto either side of the controller and the part that
dips down in the middle contains the battery pack.
In more traditional 2-dimensional games, the two directional pads are interchangeable. For others with a more 3D
environment, like Red Alarm, 3D Tetris, or Teleroboxer, each pad controls a different feature. The symmetry of the
controller also allows left-handed gamers to reverse the controls (similar to the Atari Lynx).
Connectivity
During development, Nintendo promised the ability to link systems for competitive play. The system's EXT
(extension) port, located on the underside of the system below the controller port, was never officially supported
since no "official" multiplayer games were ever published, nor was an official link cable released. (Although
Waterworld and Faceball were going to use the EXT port for multiplayer play, the multiplayer features in the former
were removed and the latter was canceled.)
Virtual Boy
385
Games
Main article: List of Virtual Boy games
Nintendo initially showcased three games for the Virtual Boy. They planned to release three titles at launch, and two
or three per month thereafter. Given the system's short lifespan, only 22 games were released. Of them, 19 games
were released in the Japanese market, while 14 were released in North America.
As of 2007[12], the homebrew community at Planet Virtual Boy were still developing unofficial software. Two
previously unreleased games, namely Bound High and the Japanese version of Faceball (known as NikoChan Battle)
have finally seen the light of day.
When asked if Virtual Boy games were going to be available for download on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo
3DS, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said he could not answer, as he was unfamiliar with the
platform. He noted that, given his lack of familiarity, he would be hard-pressed to make the case for inclusion of the
games on the Virtual Console.
[13]
Reception
A man using a Virtual Boy eyepiece
The Virtual Boy was a commercial failure. The Virtual Boy failed for a
number of reasons, among them its high price, the discomfort caused
by play [...] and what was widely judged to have been a poorly handled
marketing campaign."
Gamers who previewed the system at the Shoshinkai 1995 show
complained that the Mario demo was not realistic enough, was not in
full color, and didn't allow for "tracking" (the movement of the image
when the player turns his or her head). Following its release, reviews
of the Virtual Boy tended to praise its novelty, but questioned its
ultimate purpose and longtime viability. The Los Angeles Times
described gameplay as being "at once familiar and strange." The
column praised the quality of motion and immersive graphics, but considered the hardware itself tedious to use and
non-portable. A later column by the same reviewer found the system to be somewhat asocial, although it held out
hope for the console's future.
[14]
While Nintendo had promised a virtual reality experience, the monochrome display limited the Virtual Boy's
potential for immersion. Reviewers often considered the 3-dimensional features a gimmick, added to games that
were essentially 2- or even 1-dimensional.
[15]
The Washington Post felt that, even when a game gives the impression
of 3-dimensionality, it suffers from "hollow vector graphics." Yokoi, the system's inventor, noted the system's
relative strengths with action and puzzle games, although those types of games provided only minimal immersion.
Multiple critics lamented the absence of head-tracking in the Virtual Boy hardware. Critics found that, as a result,
players were unable to immerse themselves in the game worlds of Virtual Boy games. Instead, they interacted with
the fictional worlds in the manner of any traditional 2-dimensional game (that is, via a controller). Boyer said the
console "struggles to merge the two distinct media forms of home consoles and virtual reality devices." While the
device employed virtual reality techniques, it did so via the traditional home console. No feedback from the body
was incorporated into gameplay.
Many reviewers complained of painful and frustrating physiological symptoms when playing the Virtual Boy. Bill
Frischling, writing for The Washington Post, experienced "dizziness, nausea and headaches." Reviewers attributed
the problems to both the monochromatic display and uncomfortable ergonomics. Nintendo, in the years after Virtual
Boy's demise, has been frank about its failure. Howard Lincoln, chairman of Nintendo of America, said flatly that
the Virtual Boy "just failed."
Virtual Boy
386
Legacy
According to Game Over, Nintendo laid blame for the machine's faults directly on its creator, Gunpei Yokoi. The
commercial demise of the Virtual Boy was said to be the catalyst that led to Yokoi being driven from Nintendo.
Nevertheless, The New York Times maintained that Yokoi kept a close relationship with Nintendo despite Yokoi
having later created a rival handheld system for Bandai.
Although considered a failure in the traditional sense, the Virtual Boy did little to alter Nintendo's development
approach and focus on innovation. If anything, it encouraged a more open-ended metric for success than finances or
sales.Wikipedia:Citation needed While the console itself failed in many regards, its focus on peripherals and haptic
technology reemerged in later years.
[16]
The hope of developing a virtual reality gaming platform has considerably
outlived the Virtual Boy itself. Because Nintendo only shipped 1.26m Virtual Boy units worldwide, it is considered a
valuable collector's item.
With the launch of the Nintendo 3DS console in 2011, Nintendo released a true handheld gaming console with
auto-stereoscopic 3D visuals. In other words, this console produced the desired effects without any special glasses
and was portable. In the period leading up to the release of the Nintendo 3DS, Shigeru Miyamoto discussed what he
felt were the issues with the Virtual Boy. One was the actual use of the three-dimensional effects - while it was
designed to render wireframe graphics, it was generally used to separate two-dimensional games into different planes
separated by depth. Further, Miyamoto stated that the graphics were not as appealing, and while developing the
Nintendo 64, had ruled out the use of wireframe graphics as too sparse to draw players. Finally, he stated that he
perceived the Virtual Boy as a novelty that should not have used the Nintendo license so prominently.
Notes
[1] [1] Boyer, Steven. "A Virtual Failure: Evaluating the Success of Nintendos Virtual Boy." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 23-33. ProQuest Research
Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
[2] [2] Rafferty, Kevin. "Super Mario Takes Leap into Three Dimensional Space." The Guardian (1959-2003): 2. ProQuest Historical Newspapers:
The Guardian (1821-2003) and The Observer (1791-2003). Nov 16 1994. Web. 24 May 2012.
[3] Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children by David Sheff, 1993,
Random House.
[4] [4] "BreakTime: Virtual Boy Updates the Viewmaster Idea." Design News. 6 (1995): 192.
[5] [5] Elliott, Stuart. "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; CBS and NBC Take Promotion Partners." New York TimesJun
01 1995. ProQuest. Web. 8 July 2013.
[6] [6] "Nintendo/Nickelodeon/Blockbuster." Mediaweek 6.30 (1996): 36-. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
[7] [7] Curtiss, Aaron. "Valley Weekend; VIDEO GAMES; Virtual Boy a Blend of Familiar and Strange; although Hardware for the Latest Nintendo
Offering is Odd and Cumbersome, the Play Action is Big and Loud." Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext): 14. Los Angeles Times. Aug 31
1995. Web. 24 May 2012.
[8] [8] "Introduction by Nintendo." New York Times: D.7. New York Times. Aug 22 1995. Web. 24 May 2012.
[9] Nintendo co.: U.S. unit begins shipping virtual boy video system (http:/ / search. proquest. com/ docview/ 398447594?accountid=14749).
(1995, Aug 22). Wall Street Journal, pp. B10-B10.
[10] [10] Ahmad-Taylor, Ty. "A Crowded Field: Portable Video Games." New York Times (1923-Current file): D5. ProQuest Historical Newspapers:
The New York Times (1851-2008). Dec 04 1995. Web. 24 May 2012.
[11] [11] Powell, Doug. "A Virtual Backlash." Computing Canada Dec 21 1994: 1,1,4. ABI/INFORM Global. Web. 24 May 2012.
[12] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Virtual_Boy& action=edit
[13] http:/ / kotaku.com/ #!5690257/ argue-for-a-virtual-boy-store-on-the-nintendo-3ds-if-you-can
[14] [14] Curtiss, Aaron. "VALLEY WEEKEND; Nintendo Virtual Boy Measures Up to Billing; as its Library of Titles Slowly Grows, the 3-D
System is Becoming More Well-Rounded and Less of a Headache." Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext): 15. Los Angeles Times. May 02
1996. Web. 24 May 2012.
[15] [15] Frischling, Bill. "Sideline Play." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 11. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post
(1877-1995). Oct 25 1995. Web. 24 May 2012.
[16] [16] "Introduction." Velvet Light Trap.64 (2009): 1-2. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 24 May 2012.
Virtual Boy
387
References
Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games. Roseville, California: Prima.
ISBN0-7615-3643-4.
"Virtual Boy Is Born at Shoshinkai November, 1994" (http:/ / www. vr32. de). Nintendo Power (68): 5253.
January 1995.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Virtual Boy.
Virtual Boy (http:/ / wayback. archive. org/ web/ 20120321085823/ http:/ / register. nintendo. com/
systemsclassic?type=vb) at Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www.
nintendo. com/ systemsclassic?type=vb) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
List of Virtual Boy games (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ search/ index. html?platform=50& game=& contrib=0&
genre=0& region=0& date=0& developer=& publisher=& dist=0& sort=0& link=0& res=1& title=0& adv=1) at
GameFAQs
Virtual Boy (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/ Virtual_Boy) at
DMOZ
Virtual Boy Hardware Specifications (http:/ / www. planetvb. com/ modules/ hardware/ index. php?type=vb&
sec=specs) at Planet Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy Programming Documentation (http:/ / www. planetvb. com/ content/ downloads/ documents/ stsvb.
html) at Planet Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy Review (http:/ / gbatemp. net/ topic/ 319784-virtual-boy-review/ ) at GBAtemp.net
Performance Adapter Set (http:/ / www. virtual-boy. org/ adapterset2. htm) at virtual-boy.org
388
Sixth Generation Game Consoles
ApeXtreme
ApeXtreme
Manufacturer Apex Digital
Retail availability Cancelled was expected to be released in 2004
ApeXtreme (pronounced 'A-peks-schreem') is a cancelled video game console that was developed by Apex Digital.
While the console made a promising first appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2004, it had been
cancelled by December of that year. The console was based on VIA's Glory Personal Gaming Console Platform, and
would have included a keyboard, mouse, game controller and a remote control.
Features
The system would have sported a number of features related to console gaming and multimedia, such as:
Drop & Play technology, developed by Digital Interactive, allowing the user to play PC games by simply
inserting them into the console's optical drive.
The ability to store computer games on the system's Hard drive.
The ability to play DVDs, VCDs, audio CDs, MP3s, slideshows and Internet radio.
Drop & Play
The system's Drop & Play feature works by referring to a database of scripts for information on how each specific
game should be played. This technology would allow the console to play normal PC games without modification, at
the cost of requiring regular updates to allow the user to play recently released titles.
Furthermore, DISCover would have had to write a script for every one of the titles for which the console boasted
support, a list of more than 2700 scripts. Upon the insertion of a valid game disk, the ApeXtreme would have run
and maintained the game with only minimal interaction with the user, automatically configuring the game and
installing patches where possible. In addition, the system's support for normal USB connections would have allowed
the player to select between traditional console and PC input devices (i.e., allowing them to play with either a
gamepad or a keyboard and mouse).
ApeXtreme
389
Notes
It was reported that the home system was to be released late Spring or Summer 2004. This was to come in two
distinct versions: a basic model for US$299, and a more powerful version for US$399.[1]
External links
WindowsForDevice review of the console
[1]
PcReview of the console
[2]
What happened to the ApeXtreme?
[3]
Video Game & Console/System review for 2004
[4]
Overview for the Phantom & ApeXtreme
[5]
References
[1] http:/ / www. windowsfordevices. com/ articles/ AT4250524767. html
[2] http:/ / www. pcreview. co. uk/ articles/ Events/ ApeXtreme_Preview/
[3] http:/ / www. philodox. co. uk/ e/ ApeXtreme.htm
[4] http:/ / money.cnn. com/ 2004/ 12/ 17/ commentary/ game_over/ column_gaming/ index. htm
[5] http:/ / money.cnn. com/ 2004/ 01/ 14/ commentary/ game_over/ column_gaming/ index. htm
Apex Extreme PGC
Apex Extreme PGC is a PC compatible videogame console created by VIA but under the Apex name brand. Apex
Extreme PGC is short for Apex Extreme Personal Gaming Console and DVD player. The console was first released
in 2004. The ApeXtreme game console is an upgraded Windows XP PC designed to serve as a set top box. Its pretty
much a computer that plays video games on your TV. You will be able to play audio CDs, DVDs, VCD, etc.
References
Dreamcast
390
Dreamcast
Dreamcast
North American Dreamcast with controller and VMU
Manufacturer Sega
Generation Sixth generation
Release date
JP
November 27, 1998
NA
September 9, 1999
EU
October 14, 1999
AUS
November 30, 1999
Media CD, 1.2GB GD-ROM
CPU Hitachi SH4 32-bit RISC clocked at 200MHz
Memory RAM 16MB, GPU 8MB
Storage VMU
Display VHF
Composite video
S-video
VGA (via Dreamcast VGA)
Graphics 100MHz PowerVR2 CLX2
Online services SegaNet, GameSpy (NA)
Dreamarena (Europe)
Best-selling game Sonic Adventure, 2.5 million (as of June 2006)
Predecessor Sega Saturn
Dreamcast
391
The Dreamcast ( DormukyasutoHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a video
game console that was released by Sega in November 1998 in Japan and later in 1999 in other territories. It was the
first entry in the sixth generation of video game consoles, preceding its rivals, the PlayStation 2, Xbox and
GameCube. The Dreamcast was Sega's last home console to date.
Sega tried to launch the console as part of a comeback after its previous efforts with the Sega Saturn failed. With a
strong marketing campaign and reformed studios to develop new creative content, the Dreamcast was initially well
received with a very successful launch and strong sales. However when Sony announced the PlayStation 2, sales of
the Dreamcast quickly plummeted, due in no small part to the console's inability to support movies on the new DVD
format. Sega later came to the realization that it did not have the financial resources to compete. The company
discontinued the Dreamcast in North America early in March 2001, withdrawing from the console hardware business
altogether and restructuring itself as a third-party developer. Support of the system continued in Europe and Oceania
until the end of 2002, while in Japan, new licensed games continued to be released. 10.6 million units were sold
worldwide.
Despite its short lifespan, the Dreamcast was widely hailed as ahead of its time.
[1]
It saw the release of many new
game series which have been considered creative and innovative, such as Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Shenmue,
the most expensive game ever produced upon release. Ports of games from other platforms were also praised for the
system and the console introduced many aesthetic and software design features to be later emulated. It was the
firstWikipedia:Citation needed game console to render full frames (as opposed to interlaced only) in VGA mode at
640480, and features online console gaming; it was the first console to include a built-in modem and Internet
support for online play. The Dreamcast came to be held in high regard, and its influence can be greatly seen in
Microsoft's Xbox, as Sega worked with the company before the Xbox's release and during its development.
[2]
As of
2014, the Dreamcast is still supported via small independent publishers such as GOAT Store Publishing and
RedSpotGames. In 2009, Dreamcast was ranked #8 on IGN's list of the Top 25 Video game consoles of all time.
[3]
History
Main article: History of the Dreamcast
Development
In 1997, the Sega Saturn was struggling in North America, and Sega of America president Bernie Stolar was
pressing Sega's Japanese headquarters to develop a new platform. Two competing teams were tasked with
developing the consolea skunkworks group headed by IBM researcher Tatsuo Yamamoto and another team led by
Sega hardware engineer Hideki Sato.
Sato and his group chose the Hitachi SH4 processor architecture and the VideoLogic PowerVR2 graphics processor
for their prototype. Yamamoto and his Skunkworks group also opted for the SH-4, but with 3dfx video hardware.
Initially, Sega decided to use Yamamoto's design and suggested to 3Dfx that they would be using their hardware in
the upcoming console, but Sega later opted to use the PowerVR hardware of Sato's design. This was attributed to
3Dfx leaking details and technical specifications of the then-secret Dreamcast project when declaring their Initial
Public Offering in June 1997, a move which readers on Gamespy.com named "one of the dumbest mistakes in video
game history". Sega's shift in design prompted a lawsuit by 3dfx that was eventually settled.
With Sega's machine, no operating system resides in the device until it is loaded in on a disc with each game. The
advantage, Sega executives say, is that developers can always ship products that use the version of an operating
system with the newest features and performance enhancements. The operating system used by some Dreamcast
titles was developed by Microsoft after two years of work with Sega. It was an optimized version of Windows CE
supporting DirectX. According to Richard Doherty, president of Envisioneering Group, "Microsoft had initially
wanted Windows CE to be Dreamcast's main operating system. It isn't." The Dreamcast's boot-up sequence was also
composed by accomplished Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Dreamcast
392
Hello Kitty Dreamcast
Launch
The Dreamcast was released in November 1998 in Japan; on
September 9, 1999 in North America and on October 14, 1999 in
Europe and November 30, 1999 in Australia. Despite problems with
the Japanese launch, the system's launch in the United States was
successful. A record 300,000units had been pre-ordered in the U.S.
alone and Sega sold 500,000consoles in just two weeks (including a
record 225,132 sold during the first 24 hours). In fact, due to brisk
sales and hardware shortages, Sega was unable to fulfill all of the
advance orders. Sega confirmed that it made $98.4million on
combined hardware and software sales with Dreamcast following the September 9, 1999 launch. Four days after its
launch in the U.S., Sega stated that 372,000units were sold bringing in $132million in sales.
Launch titles such as Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Power Stone, Hydro Thunder, Marvel vs. Capcom, The House
of the Dead 2, and NFL 2K helped Dreamcast succeed in the first year. Sega Sports titles helped fill the void left by a
lack of Electronic Arts sports games on the system. Dreamcast sales grew 156.5% from July 23, 2000 to September
30, 2000 putting Sega ahead of the Nintendo 64 in that period. However, the launch of Sony's PlayStation 2 that year
marked the beginning of the end for the Dreamcast.
Financial troubles
Despite strong North American and European sales, the poor Japanese launch ultimately left Sega with its enormous
US$412 million net loss in the quarter ending March 2000 - double the loss Sega first expected. Sega made a 17.98
billion (US$163.11 million) loss for the 6 months ending September 30, 2000, and a yearly loss of 42.88 billion
(US$388.9 million), making it Sega's third consecutive annual loss. These losses greatly contributed to its
discontinuation, and Sega continued to bleed money annually until posting a profit in October 2003.
End of production
On January 31, 2001, Sega announced that they were discontinuing Dreamcast production by March 30 of that year.
The last North American release was NHL 2K2, which was released in February 2002. According to Bernie Stolar,
former President and CEO of Sega of America, the Dreamcast was discontinued because the new chair of Sega
wanted the company to focus on software.
Sega Europe continued to support the Dreamcast until mid-2002, with BigBen Interactive publishing the last batch of
PAL titles such as Rez, Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles, Cannon Spike, Heavy Metal: Geomatrix, Razor Freestyle
Scooter and Conflict Zone During the following years, unreleased games like Propeller Arena,
Hellgate,Wikipedia:Citation needed and Half-Life were leaked to the Internet in essentially completed, playable
forms.
In June 2003, Goat Store Publishing released Feet of Fury the first independently released commercial Dreamcast
game, sold exclusively via Goat Store, RedSpotGames, and Lik-Sang in America, Europe and Asia
respectively.
[4][5][6][7]
Although production of the Dreamcast ended in 2001, Sega of Japan continued selling refurbished systems and
releasing new games until 2007.Wikipedia:Citation needed Many of the games were initially developed for Sega's
NAOMI arcade hardware, including Sega's final first-party Dreamcast game, Sonic Team's Puyo Puyo Fever,
released on February 24, 2004.
The last Dreamcast units were sold through the Sega Direct division of Japan in early 2006. These refurbished units
were bundled with Radilgy and a phone card. The last Dreamcast games published by Sega of Japan were the 2007
Dreamcast
393
releases Trigger Heart Exelica and Karous., nine years after the release of the console.
Three other NAOMI gamesExzeal, Illmatic Envelope: Illvelo and Mamonorowere supposed to be ported to the
Dreamcast, however Sega abruptly decided to discontinue the production of GD-ROMs.
The Dreamcast continues to be supported by small independent developers. Thousands of freeware and open source
applications have been released since the end of production. New commercial games were released (now on
CD-ROM instead of GD-ROM and without official Sega license), most notably Rush Rush Rally Racing and Last
Hope.
To date, the console is still supported through various MIL-CD independent releases.
Successor
Throughout the years since its discontinuation, there have been rumors suggesting that Sega was working on a
Dreamcast 2, which Sega has repeatedly debunked.
Microsoft's Xbox has been described as the Dreamcast's 'spiritual successor', and received sequels to Dreamcast
games including Shenmue 2, Jet Set Radio Future, Crazy Taxi 3, The House of the Dead 3, Sega GT 2002 and
Project Gotham Racing (the spiritual sequel to Metropolis Street Racer). In addition, popular Xbox titles Fable and
Ninja Gaiden started development on the Dreamcast. Similarities between the Xbox 360 and Dreamcast have also
been noted.
At one point, the two companies could have been so bonded when then-Sega President Isao Okawa wanted
Microsoft's Xbox to be backwards compatible with Dreamcast software, and held talks with Microsoft chairman Bill
Gates shortly before Okawa's death on March 16, 2001; negotiations eventually fell apart. Microsoft also worked
together with Sega to develop the custom Dreamcast port of the DirectX-based Windows CE as an alternative to
Sega's proprietary operating system and development libraries, which were used by many of the releases for the
console.
Legacy
The Dreamcast introduced numerous features that would be standard to future consoles. All models were shipped
with modems allowing users to browse the net and play games online via dedicated server through SegaNet
(Dreamarena in Europe), a precursor to services such as PS2 Network and Xbox Live.
Alien Front Online was the first online console game to feature live in-game voice chat. NFL 2K1 was the first
football game to feature online play. Phantasy Star Online, the first console MMORPG, has been cited as one of the
most groundbreaking and influential games of the generation. Jet Set Radio popularized cel-shaded graphics.
Shenmue is regarded as a major step forward for 3D open-world gameplay,
[8][9][10][11]
introduced the quick time
event mechanic in its modern form,
[12]
and has been widely cited as one of the best and most influential games ever
made.
[13][14][15]
IGN named the Dreamcast the 8th greatest video game console of all time, and Edge named it the 10th best console
of the last 20 years while PC Magazine named it the greatest ever. In retrospect, gaming historian Steven L. Kent
stated that "SEGA supported Dreamcast better than any single company has ever supported any console". 1UP.com's
Jeremy Parish opined that "When the Dreamcast died, so too did the concept of videogames as the exclusive
province of the hardcore."
Independent commercial games such as Feet of Fury, Last Hope and DUX have also been released. On June 10,
2010, at E3 Sega announced that Dreamcast titles would soon be available on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation
Network. The first two titles to be released are Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi, followed by Sega Bass Fishing and
Space Channel 5 Part 2.
Dreamcast
394
Hardware
Internal view of a Dreamcast console including
optical drive, power supply, controller ports, and
cooling fan.
Mainboard of a Dreamcast console.
The system's processor is a Hitachi SH-4 32-bit RISC at 200MHz with
an on-die 128-bit vector graphics engine, 360MIPS and 1.4GFLOPS
(single precision), using the vector graphics engine. The graphics
hardware is a PowerVR2 CLX2 chipset, capable of 7.0 million
polygons/second peak performance and trilinear filtering. Graphics
hardware effects include gouraud shading, z-buffering, spatial
anti-aliasing, per-pixel translucency sorting (also known as order
independent translucency) and bump mapping. The system supports
approximately 16.78 million colors (24-bit) color output and displays
interlaced or progressive scan video at 640480 video resolution.
For sound, the system features a Yamaha AICA Sound Processor with
a 32-Bit ARM7 RISC CPU operating at 45MHz, 64 channel
PCM/ADPCM sampler (4:1 compression), XG MIDI support and 128
step DSP.
The Dreamcast has 16MB 64-bit 100MHz main RAM, 8MB
416-bit 100MHz video RAM, 2 MB system ROM, 128 KB flash
memory and 2MB 16-bit 66MHz sound RAM.
[16]
The hardware
supports VQ texture compression at either asymptotically 2bpp or
even 1bpp. The VRAM, RAM and ROM (amongst other areas) and all
mapped in to a single address space accessible by the CPU.
The system reads media using a 12x maximum speed (Constant
Angular Velocity) Yamaha or Samsung, in later hardware revisions,
GD-ROM Drive.
Dreamcast
395
Accessories
The Dreamcast controller has two dock
connectors for use with multiple accessories, like
the VMU
Main article: Dreamcast accessories
One of the most notable accessories for the Dreamcast was the VGA
adapter, allowing Dreamcast games to be played on computer displays
or Enhanced-definition television sets in 480p (progressive scan). In
addition, other accessories included a vibrating jump pak and a VMU
accessory which was a memory card with a small screen that provided
a variety of functions for various games. Also made available for
specific games were the arcade stick and light gun controllers.
In most regions, the Dreamcast included a removable modem. The
original Asia/Japan model and all PAL models had a transfer rate of
33.6kbit/s, while consoles sold in Japan and the US after September 9,
1999 featured a 56 kbit modem. Brazilian models manufactured under
license by Tec Toy did not include a modem, which was available separately. The regular modem could be replaced
with the Dreamcast Broadband Adapter, that was sold separately. This upgraded the dial-up connection to
high-speed broadband capability.
A special link cable was produced allowing the Dreamcast to interact with the Neo Geo Pocket Color, but the Neo
Geo Pocket Color was unsuccessful in western regions, reducing its usefulness. In addition, very few games took
advantage of this feature.
Games
Main articles: List of Dreamcast games and Chronology of Sega Dreamcast games
As of November 2007, the Dreamcast has 688 official games available in its library, and unofficial, independent
games continue to be released by certain companies. Games were sold in jewel cases. In Europe, the jewel cases
were twice as thick as their North American counterparts, possibly to allow more space for thick, multilingual
instruction manuals. Unlike US jewel cases usually featuring one door, European cases had two doors and could
store two disks.
Online
Among the official games are Dreamcast's online games that could be played over the Internet. The online servers
were run by SegaNet, Dreamarena, and GameSpy networks. Online game support was particularly popular in Japan,
with releases of network compatible games such as Tech Romancer and Project Justice. Web browsers were
developed by independent companies such as Planetweb to allow access to web sites and included features like Java,
uploads, movies, and mouse support. Dreamarena came with games such as Sonic Adventure and ChuChu Rocket!.
There are seven games that can still be played online on the Dreamcast. These are: 4x4 Evolution, Maximum Pool,
Phantasy Star Online, Quake III Arena, Sega Swirl (using play by e-mail), Starlancer and Planet Ring (which was
brought back online in 2013).
Dreamcast
396
Models
The limited-edition black "Sega Sports" model.
Rare Divers 2000 CX-1 Dreamcast, Released
only in Japan. The Divers 2000 was a special
edition of the Dreamcast that had a built in
television set by Fuji.
Accessories that came bundled with the Divers
2000 Dreamcast in Japan.
Due to its short production span, only a few official models were
released. The primary models throughout the Dreamcast's lifespan
were white in color. A few rare models produced late featured a
modified BIOS that had its support for MIL-CD discs removed to
prevent piracy.
Some special Dreamcast models were released in certain regions. In
North America, a limited edition black Dreamcast was released with a
Sega Sports logo below the Dreamcast logo on the lid with matching
Sega Sports-branded black controllers. Electronics Boutique offered a
blue Dreamcast through its website.
There were many Japan-only models made, including a Sakura Taisen
version. A Hello Kitty version was also released in 2000, which, due to
its limited production, has become an extremely rare collector's piece.
The package contains a keyboard, controller, VMU, mouse, and a
Hello Kitty trivia game. Two limited edition Dreamcast models based
on Capcom's Resident Evil Code: Veronica game were also released,
one a clear pink "Claire Redfield" model and VMU limited to 1800,
and the other a clear dark blue S.T.A.R.S model and VMU limited to
200 numbered units; both included a copy of the game. The R7 model
("Regulation#7", referring to the regulation seven in the Japanese penal
code pertaining to businesses affecting public morals) consisted of a
special refurbished Dreamcast unit that was originally used as a
network console in Japanese pachinko parlors, in a newly designed
black case. The final Dreamcast models were released in gold.
To celebrate the millennium Sega released the Japanese Divers 2000
CX-1 Sega Dreamcast, a blue TV/Dreamcast combo with flashing
lights on the side.
Logos
The Dreamcast logo is a swirl, with colours differing according to
region. An orange swirl is used in Japanese and North American NTSC
hardware and marketing, with a red swirl also occassionally appearing
in North America. In PAL regions, the Dreamcast logo was changed to
blue
[17]
so as to avoid a trademark dispute with German video
game/DVD publisher Tivola, who already used an red swirl as their company logo.
Dreamcast
397
Variations of the Dreamcast logo
Red swirl (NTSC regions)
Blue swirl (PAL regions)
Footnotes
[1] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=9cqmVLoQRvwC& pg=PA120& dq=dreamcast+ ahead+ of+ its+ time& hl=en& sa=X&
ei=U7UGU6fOMqqksQTN74DgBA& ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage& q=dreamcast%20ahead%20of%20its%20time& f=false
[2] The Xbox Was As Close As We Got To A Dreamcast 2 (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5859934/ the-xbox-was-as-close-as-we-got-to-a-dreamcast-2).
Kotaku.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[3] http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-25-consoles/ 8. html
[4] http:/ / www. dreamcast-scene.com/ games/ feet-of-fury/
[5] http:/ / www. goatstorepublishing.com/ projects/ dreamcast/ feet-of-fury/
[6] http:/ / www. goatstorepublishing.com/ faq/
[7] http:/ / cagames. com/ phpBB2/ viewtopic. php?t=1298
[8] Brendan Main, Lost in Yokosuka (http:/ / www.escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ issues/ issue_285/ 8455-Lost-in-Yokosuka), The
Escapist
[9] Shenmue: Creator Yu Suzuki Speaks Out (http:/ / www. nowgamer. com/ features/ 1148/ interview-with-shenmue-creator-yu-suzuki),
GamesTM
[10] Yu Suzuki (http:/ / uk.games. ign.com/ top-100-game-creators/ 9. html), IGN
[11] The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 1 (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=3& cId=3182648), 1UP
[12] Adam LaMosca, On-Screen Help, In-Game Hindrance (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ columns/ waypoints/
1310-On-Screen-Help-In-Game-Hindrance), The Escapist
[13] Readers' Picks Top 100 Games: 81-90 (http:/ / uk.top100. ign. com/ 2006/ 081-090. html), IGN, 2006
[14] Greatest Games of All Time (http:/ / www.game.co.uk/ greatestgames/ ), Game, 22 May 2008
[15] 42: Shenmue (http:/ / www.empireonline.com/ 100greatestgames/ default. asp?p=42), Empire, accessed 2011-02-25
[16] In this article, the conventional prefixes for computer memory denote base-2 values whereby "kilobyte" (kB) = 2
10
bytes, "megabyte" (MB)
= 2
20
bytes.
[17] http:/ / www.gamespot. com/ articles/ dreamcast-logo-tweaked-for-europe/ 1100-2460407/
Dreamcast
398
References
External links
Media related to Sega Dreamcast at Wikimedia Commons
Official website (http:/ / dc. sega. jp) (Japanese)
Dreamcast (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Sega/ Dreamcast) at DMOZ
GP32
399
GP32
GP32
Manufacturer GamePark
Generation Sixth generation era
Retail availability November 23, 2001
Media SmartMedia
CPU Samsung S3C2400X01
Successor GP2X
The GP32 (GamePark 32) is an open source hardware handheld game console developed by the Korean company
Game Park. It was released on November 23, 2001, in South Korea only.
Features
The overall design is not unlike the original version of the Game Boy Advance. The GP32 is based on a 133MHz
ARM CPU and 8MB of RAM. Unlike other hand held gaming systems, which tend to be proprietary
cartridge-based, the GP32 uses SmartMedia cards (SMC) for storing programs and data, making it accessible for
amateur developers as no further development hardware is required.
The console has a four-way mini-joystick controller, two main buttons ('A' and 'B'), two shoulder buttons on each
side of the SMC slot ('L' and 'R') and two other menu buttons on each side of the screen ('SELECT' and 'START'),
made from a softer, translucent rubber. The console also has a USB 1.1 port for connection with a host computer, a
serial expansion port, a 3.3V power adapter input, a headphone connector and a rear compartment which holds two
AA sized batteries.
Variants
There are three main commercial versions of the unit characterized by different display types. Commercial units are
white in color with either grey or white buttons and trim. There are also a number of differently colored promotional
units, and several prototype units with different designs.
GP32 NLU
The original GP32 was the no-light unit (NLU) which relied on an external light source to view the screen.
GP32 FLU
In late 2002, Game Park introduced the frontlight unit (FLU) as a factory modified (by Hahotech) version of the
NLU. It provides its own illumination via a transparent panel between the LCD display and the plastic screen cover.
The extra hardware resulted in a slightly raised display frame when compared to the NLU and BLU variants. The
GP32
400
frontlight could be turned off with a switch mounted on the back of the GP32 case (to save battery). The GP32 FLU's
name was derived from a sticker added to the front of the GP32 packaging differentiating it from the standard
non-light versions.
GP32 BLU
In mid-2004, Game Park introduced the backlight unit (BLU). The new BLU LCD was compatible with the NLU
(and FLU) and provided superior screen display in poor lighting conditions. At the end of 2004, Game Park also
released a second version of the BLU, which had a different LCD to the first version BLU units. The new BLU+
LCD was not 100% compatible with the original LCD screen and so software required special handling to support
both LCD versions. The backlight could be disabled by holding the SELECT button for 5 seconds. The BLU models
also had a slightly different USB port connector and better quality micro switches for the controller.
BLU+ Compatibility
A back lit GP32 (released in December 2004) was given the name BLU+ by the community.Wikipedia:Citation
needed The back lit unit featured a different LCD display (Taiwanese manufactured instead of Samsung), which led
to some compatibility problems with certain applications, and problems such as white lines across the screen.
However, nearly all applications were fixed once it was found that the new screens had better contrast than the old
ones. The back lit GP32's were commercially named "BLU". The BLU+ was, as stated, a name that the community
gave it to notice the difference between the two models.
There were many applications that worked with the BLU+ and other models. Mirko's SDK could autodetect which
version one had. All the applications such as emulators, movie players, and the like worked as well on the BLU+, as
on other models.
Software
Built In
The original Game Park firmware had three main functions: to launch applications, provide a means of linking to a
host computer and to play music in MP3 format. Later versions of the Game Park firmware removed the MP3 music
capability.
Homebrew
Game Park planned their system to be powerful and useful, but they also wanted users to be able to create homebrew
software. GP32 users could register the unit on the official website and get a free suite of development tools to create
their own programs. Game Park also allowed (under certain restrictions) the publishing of such homebrew games on
their website. The GP32's original firmware only supported running encrypted games and tools. Users had to register
and use an encrypted "Free Launcher" to run unsigned software. Alternative firmware removed the necessity of
using the "Free Launcher" software and provided many extra functions that were lacking in the original firmware.
Through this strategy, the GP32 was the host of multiple homebrew applications and games. The various
applications made for it ranged from alternative firmware, file managers, games, emulators, game generators (such
as RPG Maker), a DivX player and image slideshows.
GP32
401
Commercial
Commercial games could be acquired via internet download (encrypted to the GP32's ID) or in a retail box. The
retail boxes contained SmartMedia Cards with the games which were encrypted to run only from these cards (SMC
ID). They could alternatively be downloaded from a Korean portal after submitting the GP32's ID, they were then
encrypted to run only on that GP32. Downloading the games effectively reduced the cost to the consumer, who was
no longer paying for the manufacture of the cartridge. Downloading a game online could range from US$10 to
US$30.
Games
See also: List of commercial GP32 games
Five games in a variety of genres were released at the system's launch on November 23, 2001. About 28 commercial
games were eventually released. The last commercial game to be released was the platformer/RPG Blue Angelo,
which was released on December 16, 2004. Most commercial GP32 games could be bought in two ways: boxed or
downloaded through the internet through Gamepark's online JoyGP store (typically for a much lower price). JoyGP
was the international version of the MegaGP store, which existed earlier and was limited to South Korea. Although
most games were sold in both formats, there were a few exceptions: for example, "Blue Angelo" was (and is) only
sold as a boxed copy made in France, and "Gloop Deluxe" was only sold online, but not through JoyGP.
Although the number of official games available for the GP32 system is limited, many open source/free software
developers worked on various emulators and ported PC games. In addition to this, a wide range of free,
public-domain games were created by amateur developers. Game Park did not ask any royalties to release games for
its device, which made it easier for small editors or independent developers to release software for the GP32.
GP32 with an Ericsson Chatboard
The modification of Ericsson Chatboard micro-keyboards to
work with the system has seen a new flourish of software
development, including countless attempts at ports of Linux,
and keyboard support being added to many emulators.
Emulators
The GP32's relatively powerful ARM 920T CPU and freely
available 'C'-based SDK have allowed many emulators to be
specifically developed or ported from other platforms.
Emulated systems that run on the GP32 include 16-bit era and
earlier console and computer platforms. These emulators
allow users to experience a large variety of games on their
GP32 system, largely compensating for the relatively small library of commercially available games. There is also a
Windows-based GP32 emulator, which allows users to run GP32 software on a Windows-based PC.
Commercial availability
Commercially, the system can be found mostly in Korea, and some other parts of Asia, although the GP32 BLU
model was released in three European markets, including Portugal, Spain, and Italy on June 15, 2004 with a price
point of 199. There are official distributors in the United Kingdom and Sweden as well. Game Park, however, did
not release the console in America. Since the GP32 is no longer in production, the console can commonly be found
on eBay, forums, or other used video game vendors or websites.
Despite the GP32 not being released worldwide, it has a large international community of users and developers.
About 30,000 units were sold by the end of 2007.
[1]
GP32
402
Hardware
Dimensions 147mm 88mm 34mm
Weight 0.163kg
Display 3.5in TFT, 16-bit colour, 320 240 pixels
CPU Samsung S3C2400X01 (ARM920T core), 20 (and under) to 133MHz (overclockable to 166MHz+ in some cases. Some have even
reached 256MHz (not always stable, low battery life). Overclocking ability is random, however all GP32s are supposed to reach
133MHz. A few early "bad" units maxed out at 132MHz.)
RAM 8MB SDRAM (16-bit wide)
ROM 512KB (8-bit wide)
Sound 44.1kHz 16-bit stereo sound
four-channels and up software WAV mixing (it is up to the coder, but four channel is built into the official SDK)
16-part polyphonic software MIDI (in official SDK)
earphone port
stereo speakers
Storage SmartMedia 2128 MB 3.3v
Power
Supply
2 AA batteries or 3-V DC adapter. Batteries last between 6 and 12+ hours, but actual amount depends on a number of factors.
Wireless GP Link was a wireless dongle that could be inserted into the ext socket and let you chat and play games. Up to four wireless units
could be connected at once within 10m, frequency were reported to be 300MHz and the games supported for multiplayer were Little
Wizard, Dungeon & Guarder, Treasure Island, Rally Pop.
Successors
GP2X - dual-CPU unit produced by new company GamePark Holdings.
GP2X Wiz - Successor to the GP2X
GP2X Caanoo - Successor to the GP2X Wiz
XGP - a never-released system developed by GamePark, now bankrupt, again.
References
[1] GP2X Q&A, With Craig Rothwell (http:/ / www.clockerz. org/ articles/ gp2x_qa_with_craig_rothwell. html). Clockerz. Accessed on
24-03-2008.
External links
GP32 File Archive (http:/ / www. gp32x. de/ cgi-bin/ cfiles. cgi) (all free software written for the system)
GP32 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Handheld_Platforms/ Game_Park/ GP32) at DMOZ
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GP32.
Game Boy Advance
403
Game Boy Advance
"GBA" redirects here. For other uses, see GBA (disambiguation).
Game Boy Advance
1st generation Game Boy Advance
Retail availability
JP
March 21, 2001
NA
June 11, 2001
PAL
June 22, 2001
CN
June 8, 2004
Discontinued
JP
2006
EU
2007
NA
2008
Units sold Worldwide: 81.51 million, all versions combined (as of June 30,
2010).
Americas: 41.64 million
Other: 22.91 million
Media ROM cartridge
CPU 16.78 MHz ARM7TDMI
8 or 4 MHz Z80 coprocessor
Graphics Custom 2D core
Best-selling game Pokmon Ruby and Sapphire, 16 million combined
Backward
compatibility
Game Boy, Game Boy Color
Predecessor Game Boy Color
Game Boy Advance
404
Successor Game Boy Advance SP (redesign)
Game Boy Micro (redesign/concurrent)
Nintendo DS (successor)
The Game Boy Advance ( Gmu Bi AdobansuHelp:Installing Japanese
character sets), often shortened to GBA, is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured and
marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color, and was the last Nintendo handheld to carry the
"Game Boy" name. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and
Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China on June 8, 2004 (excluding Hong Kong).
Nintendo's competitors in the handheld market were the Neo Geo Pocket Color, SwanCrystal, GP32, Tapwave
Zodiac, and the N-Gage. Despite the competitors' best efforts, Nintendo maintained its majority market share with
the Game Boy Advance.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Boy Advance.
As of June 30, 2010, the Game Boy Advance series has sold 81.51 million units worldwide. Its successor, the
Nintendo DS, was released in November 2004.
History
Project Atlantis
In 1996, magazines including Electronic Gaming Monthly, issues 53 and 54 of Total!Wikipedia:Citation needed and
the July 1996 issue of Game InformerWikipedia:Citation needed featured reports of a new Game Boy, codenamed
Project Atlantis. Although the expected release date of "early 1997" would make that machine seem to be the Game
Boy Color, it was described as having a 32-bit RISC processor, a 3-by-2-inch color LCD screen, and a link porta
description that more closely matches the Game Boy Advance. It also may have referred to the unnamed, unreleased
Game Boy Color successor prototype that was revealed at 2009's Game Developers Conference.
[1]
It was announced
that Nintendo of Japan was working on a game for the system called "Mario's Castle".
The technical specifications of the original Game Boy Advance are, as provided by Nintendo:
Length: approximately 14.45cm (5.69in).
Width: approximately 2.45cm (0.96in).
Height: approximately 8.2cm (3.2in).
Mass: approximately 140g (4.9oz).
Screen: 2.9inches reflective thin-film transistor (TFT) color LCD.
Power: 2 AA batteries.
Battery life: approximately 15 hours on average while playing Game Boy Advance games (also dependent on the Game Pak being played,
volume setting and any external peripherals being used - e.g. a screen light)
CPU: 16.8MHz 32-bit ARM7TDMI with embedded memory. 8 or 4MHz 8-bit Z80 coprocessor for Game Boy backward compatibility.
Memory: 32 kilobyte + 96 kilobyte VRAM (internal to the CPU), 256 kilobyte DRAM (outside the CPU).
Resolution: 240 160 pixels (3:2 aspect ratio).
Game Boy Advance
405
Colorsupport:
15-bit BGR (5 bits depth per channel), capable of displaying 512 simultaneous colors in "character mode" and 32,768 (2
15
)
simultaneous colors in "bitmap mode".
Sound: Dual 8-bit DAC for stereo sound (called Direct Sound), plus all legacy channels from Game Boy. The new DACs can be used to
play back streams of wave data, or can be used to output multiple wave samples processed/mixed in software by the CPU.
Backward compatibility for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games is provided by an 4/8MHz Z80 coprocessor
(Game Boy Advance software can use the audio tone generators to supplement the primary sound system), while a
link port at the top of the unit allows it to be connected to other devices via use of a Nintendo Game Link cable or
GameCube link cable. When playing Game Boy or Game Boy Color games on the Game Boy Advance, the L and R
buttons can be used to toggle between a stretched widescreen format (240144) and the original screen ratio of the
Game Boy (160144). Game Boy games can be played using the same selectable color palettes as on the Game Boy
Color. Every Nintendo handheld system following the release of the Game Boy Advance SP has included a built-in
light and rechargeable battery.
Games
See also: List of Game Boy Advance games
With hardware comparable to the Super NES it had proven that sprite-based technology could improve and live side
by side with the 3D games of the day's consoles.Wikipedia:Citation needed The Game Boy Advance not only has
typical platformers, but also a huge collection of SNES-style role-playing video games. It has also become a popular
system for old-school gamers due to the increasing number of games ported from various 8-bit and 16-bit systems of
the previous eras, including the popular Super Mario Advance series, as well as its compatibility with all earlier
Game Boy titles.
Final Fantasy VI Advance was the last Japanese GBA game, released November 2006, the last Nintendo-published
game for the system. The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night was the last European GBA game, released November
2007. Samurai Deeper Kyo was the last North American GBA game, released in February 2008.
Accessories
Official
The Wireless Adapter was packed in with
Pokmon FireRed and LeafGreen
Nintendo released many addons for the Game Boy Advance. These
include:
Wireless Adapter: Released in 2004, this adapter hooks up to the
back of the Game Boy Advance. It replaces link cables and allows
many people to link together. It markets for US$20 and came
included with Pokmon FireRed and Pokmon LeafGreen. Because
it was released so late in the Game Boy Advance's life, fewer than
20 games support this hardware. The adapter's usefulness is most
evident in Pokmon, as FireRed/LeafGreen and Emerald feature a
"Union Room" where up to forty people can enter to battle or trade
Pokmon. A Game Boy Micro version has also been released; it can
interact fully with both models of the Wireless Adapter.
Game Boy Advance Infra-Red Adapter: This adapter was included with the game Cyberdrive Zoids, as it is
only compatible with this game and the latest GBA Pokmon games. The adapter was not sold separately. This is
also currently the only Game Boy Advance accessory that has not been remade for the Game Boy Micro.
Game Boy Advance
406
Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance link cable: The link cable is used to connect the Game Boy
Advance to the GameCube gaming console. It is intended for interoperability between games for the Game Boy
and corresponding games for the GameCube. There were not many games that supported the hardware; notable
titles are Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, allowing up to 4
players to use their Advance or SP handheld as a controller that has additional information on the screen, as well
as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, allowing additional content to be unlocked through one of the
characters in the game. Also, the device works for Pokmon Colosseum and Pokmon XD which lets you trade
Pokmon back and forth to its GBA iterations (Pokmon FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald). In
addition, it can be used to transfer Chao between Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Advance,
Sonic Advance 2. Finally, it can be used to unlock the "Fusion" skin for Samus (that was introduced in Metroid
Fusion) for use in Metroid Prime, provided that the player has also met certain conditions in both Fusion and
Prime.
Play-Yan: The Play-Yan is an MP3/MPEG4 player for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. The cartridge
is slightly broader than a normal Game Boy Advance cartridge and includes a built-in headphone port as well as
an SD Card slot. Music or videos that users have downloaded from the Internet can be transferred onto an SD
Card and slotted into the Play-Yan device. Nintendo has released several mini games for the Play-Yan that can be
downloaded from their website, although Nintendo later removed all minigame functionality through a firmware
update. The Play-Yan was initially available in Japan only, but was released in Europe as the Nintendo MP3
Player on December 8, 2006, with the MPEG4 functionality removed. The Play-Yan was never released in North
America.
e-Reader: The e-Reader is a scanning device that plugs into the game cartridge slot of the Game Boy Advance.
Specialized cards with codes along the side and bottom are slid through the slot, scanning the card into the Game
Boy Advance. Many ideas for the e-Reader include cards that scan classic games like Donkey Kong and
Excitebike onto the handheld ready to play, as well as a collaboration with Super Mario Advance 4 and Pokmon
Ruby and Sapphire to have cards that unlock content. Nintendo GameCube games like Animal Crossing have
cards with unlockable content as well, and the Pokmon Trading Card Game playing cards also adopt the
e-Reader codes. The e-Reader works with the Game Boy Player and Game Boy Advance SP, but cannot fit into
the Nintendo DS's Game Boy slot (however it can fit into the Nintendo DS Lite's Game Boy slot). Nintendo
continues to manufacture the accessory and sell it at its Online Store. It is still quite popular in Japan. It was not
released in Europe.
Game Boy Advance Video: These cartridges contain two episodes of thirty minute cartoon programs. First
released in North America in May 2004, these cartridges included cartoons such as Dragon Ball GT, Pokmon,
SpongeBob SquarePants, Sonic X, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. The movies Shrek, Shrek 2, and
Shark Tale are also available for Game Boy Advance Video and all three movies are full. Due to the Game Boy
Advance screen ratio, the three movies are in their widescreen format. These cartridges display an error when
inserted into a GameCube via a Game Boy Player. The Game Boy Advance Videos are no longer available at
most major retailers.
Cleaning cartridge: A white cartridge that has a soft cloth inside so that it cleans the connectors of the Game
Boy Advance when inserted. It can also be used to clean Slot 2 of the Nintendo DS or DS Lite.
Mobile Adapter: The device works with Game Boy and Game Boy Advance systems to connect to mobile
phones for remote play. It was released in Japan and was compatible with Pokmon Crystal.
Game Boy Advance
407
Unofficial
Other accessories for the Game Boy Advance are:
Afterburner: The Afterburner was an internal front-lighting system. The installation consisted of disassembling
the system, removing some plastic from the interior of the case, attaching the lighting mechanism to the screen,
and soldering two wires to the motherboard for power. Optionally, a potentiometer or an integrated circuit could
be added to allow adjusting the brightness of the light. When the initial version of the Game Boy Advance SP was
released, it included a very similar integrated lighting system. This was replaced in the subsequent version of the
Game Boy Advance SP with a backlit display.
Halo Light: The Halo light was an external front-lighting system that replaced the screen protector/lens of the
GBA. The Halo had an external power adapter that connected to the link port, it featured on/off functions with a
dimmer and a pass-through connector so other devices could be connected to the link port.
Worm Light: The Worm Light was an adjustable and flexible light that connected to the link port. It had a small
bulb which shined over the screen.
GBA Movie Player: The GBA Movie Player is a versatile gaming cartridge that allows users to play
NES/Famicom games, watch movies, read .txt files, listen to sound clips, etc. The GBA Movie Player does not
actually play MPEGS or MP3s directly, a freeware conversion software is needed, that converts an array of
formats into GBM and GBS formats that are compatible with the GBA Movie Player. There are two forms of the
GBA Movie Player with one using a CF (Compact Flash) card and one using an SD (Secure Digital) card, though
different companies have made their own devices similar to the GBA Movie Player.
GBA TV Tuner: It makes the portable system into a portable television. There are several versions available,
which are made by different companies. The most popular TV Tuner requires a cartridge inserted in the Tuner to
start up. The TV Tuners can store up to 99 channels.
GameShark: The Game Boy Advance version of the GameShark, programmed only to work with Game Boy
Advance games as making the device take Game Boy Color cartridges too would have made it expensive. This
cheat device allowed users to change the code in their games to create cheats. Codes could be entered by hand or
uploaded to the device itself with the provided USB cable and software.
Action Replay: A cheating device like the GameShark, the Action Replay was sold mainly in Europe. It has a
few extra features as well as an updated interface.
Action Replay MAX Duo: This was an update to the Action Replay for Game Boy Advance. Not only did it
function as an Action Replay, but for DS users, it could hold premade game saves or "powersaves" that could be
downloaded from the Action Replay site as well as user made saves. It did not, however, function as a cheat
device for Nintendo DS games; it was only for data backup.
Worm Cam: This device by Nyko attached to the top of the Game Boy Advance and connected into the link port
of the GBA. This device functioned as a digital camera which allowed digital pictures to be taken. The snapshots
could then be uploaded to a PC with the USB cable and software provided. This camera's strange shape prevented
it from being used with the GBA SP.
DigiCam SP: This camera attachment was also made by Nyko and was essentially the Worm Cam for the Game
Boy Advance SP. This add-on would slide on to the top half of the GBA SP (behind the screen) and a small plug
would be connected into the link port.
DataBoy: This cartridge plugs into the GBA game slot and converts the Game Boy into an RS-232 data scope
(also known as serial line monitor or protocol analyzer). Users can play GB games, GBC games, and GBA games
on it.
Game Boy Advance flash cartridges: These devices are commonly used for independently created games, or
other third party development.
Game Boy Advance
408
Glucoboy: A blood glucose monitor with built-in games released in Australia in 2007 for children with diabetes.
There are also numerous AC adapters that allow the Game Boy Advance to be used without batteries.
Emulation
Due to its simple hardware, many popular emulators are available for the Game Boy Advance, such as
VisualBoyAdvance and NO$GBA.
Revisions
Game Boy Advance SP
Game Boy Advance SP
Main article: Game Boy Advance SP
In early 2003, Nintendo introduced a new form-factor for the handheld,
known as the Game Boy Advance SP (model AGS-001). The redesigned unit
resembles a pocket-size laptop computer, including a folding case
approximately one-half the size of the original unit. It also supports a
rechargeable lithium ion battery, a significantly brighter LCD screen, and an
internal front-light that can be toggled on and off. The redesign was intended
to address some common complaints about the original Game Boy Advance,
which had been criticized for being somewhat uncomfortable to use,
especially due to an overly dark screen.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Around the same time as the release of the Game Boy Micro, Nintendo released a new backlit version of the SP
(model AGS-101) in North America (commonly referred to as the "GBA SP+", SPII, or SP2).Wikipedia:Citation
needed The switch that controls the light now toggles between "normal" (which itself is already brighter than the
original Game Boy Advance SP's screen), and "bright", an intense brightness level similar to an LCD television set.
Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro
Main article: Game Boy Micro
In September 2005, Nintendo released a second redesign of the Game Boy
Advance. This model, dubbed the Game Boy Micro, is similar in style to the
original Game Boy Advance's horizontal orientation, but is much smaller and
sleeker. The Game Boy Micro also allows the user to switch between several
colored faceplates to allow customization, a feature which Nintendo
advertised heavily around the Game Boy Micro's launch. Nintendo also hoped
that this "fashion" feature would help target audiences outside of typical
video game players. Unlike the previous Game Boy Advance models, Game Boy Micro is unable to support Game
Boy and Game Boy Color titles. The Game Boy Micro did not make much of an impact in the video game market as
it was overshadowed by Nintendo's other portable, the Nintendo DS.
Game Boy Advance
409
Unit colors
The Game Boy Advance, SP, and Micro had numerous colors and limited editions.
Game Boy Advance
See also: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy Advance
The Game Boy Advance was initially available in Arctic, Black, Orange, Fuchsia, Glacier (translucent blue/purple)
and Indigo. Later in the system's availability, additional colours and special editions were released. These editions
include: Red, Clear Orange/Black, Platinum, White, Gold, Hello Kitty edition (pink with Hello Kitty and logo on
bezel), King of Fighters edition (black with images on bezel and buttons), Chobits edition (translucent light blue,
with images on bezel and buttons), Battle Network Rockman EXE 2 (light blue with images on bezel), Mario Bros.
edition (Glacier with Mario and Luigi on bezel) and Yumiuri Giant edition (Glacier with images on bezel).
A number of Pokmon-themed limited-edition systems were made available in Pokmon Center stores in Japan.
These editions include: Gold Pokmon edition (Gold with Pikachu and Pichu on bezel), Suicune edition (blue/grey
with greyscale Pikachu and Pichu on bezel, and a Pokmon Center sticker on the back), Celebi edition (olive green
with Celebi images on bezel), and Latias/Latios edition (pink/red and purple, with images of Latias and Latios on
bezel).
Game Boy Advance SP
See also: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy Advance SP
Blue Kyogre
Cobalt Blue
Flame Red
Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition
Gold with Zelda Triforce
Graphite
Green Rayquaza
Green Venusaur
Kingdom Silver (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Edition)
Spice & Lime
Mario
NES Black (UK and US only as a limited edition)
Onyx Black
Pearl Blue
Pearl Green
Pearl Pink
Pearl White (Limited Edition)
Pikachu Yellow
Platinum
Red Groudon
Snow White
SpongeBob
Torchic Orange
Tribal
White Rip Curl special edition (Australia only)
"Who Are You?" (Black with "Who Are You?" printed on the top)
All Blacks (New Zealand only)
Game Boy Advance
410
Surf Blue (UK only)
Game Boy Micro
See also: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy micro
Black (included silver, green camo, and fire faceplates)
Silver (included black, flower, and blue energy faceplates)
Green (Europe only)
Blue (Europe and Japan only)
Pink (Europe only)
Red (Australia only)
Lavender (Japan only)
Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition
Final Fantasy IV
Lite Blue (Japan only)
Mother 3 (Red)
Sales
On December 1, 2006, Nintendo of America released launch-to-date information indicating that the Game Boy
Advance series had sold 33.6 million units in the United States. In a Kotaku article published on January 18, 2008,
Nintendo revealed that the Game Boy Advance series has sold 36.2 million units in the United States, as of January
1, 2008. As of December 31, 2009, the Game Boy Advance series has sold 81.51 million units worldwide, of which
43.57 million are Game Boy Advance SP units and 2.42 million are Game Boy Micro units.
After the Game Boy Advance's support lessened, the most popular software became mostly games oriented to
younger gamers.
Legacy
Nintendo did not initially release GBA games for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, but later made ten titles
available to the platform as part of the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program. Despite this, no plans have been made
to release the games to the general public. Satoru Iwata stated Game Boy Advance games will be available on the
Wii U Virtual Console during April 2014.
[2]
On April 3, 2014, the first of the announced GBA games (Advance
Wars, Metroid Fusion and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga) were released for the Wii U Virtual Console.
References
[1] GDC 2009 Nintendo Reveals Unreleased Nintendo Handhelds (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2009/ 03/ 25/
gdc09-dsi-architect-reveals-unreleased-nintendo-handhelds/ #continued). Retrieved 2009-03-25.
[2] Wii U - Official Site at Nintendo (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ wiiu/ downloads/ virtual-console)
External links
Game Boy Advance (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ systems/ gameboyadvance/ faq. jsp) at
Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070810144102/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/
systemsgba) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Game Boy Advance (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/
Game_Boy_Advance) at DMOZ
Game Boy Advance SP
411
Game Boy Advance SP
Game Boy Advance SP
A blue front-lit version of the Game Boy Advance SP.
Retail availability
JP
February 14, 2003
NA
March 23, 2003
PAL
March 28, 2003
Units shipped 43.54 million (as of June 30, 2009)(details)
Media ROM cartridges
CPU 32-bit 16.78 MHz ARM7TDMI
8 or 4 MHz Z80 coprocessor
Best-selling game Pokmon Ruby and Sapphire, 13 million combined (as of November 25,
2004)
Pokmon Emerald, 6.32 million (as of March 31, 2007)
Backward
compatibility
Game Boy, Game Boy Color
Predecessor Game Boy Advance (concurrent)
Successor Game Boy Micro (redesign)
Nintendo DS (successor)
The Game Boy Advance SP ( SP Gmu Bi Adobansu Essu
PHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), released in February 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo's Game
Boy Advance. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special.
[1]
The SP was marketed at US$99.99 at
launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99. The SP is accompanied by the Nintendo DS
(released in November 2004) and the Game Boy Micro (released in September 2005).
Game Boy Advance SP
412
In Japan, it was marketed at 12,500 on February 14, 2003. In Canada, it was marketed at CA$149.95 on March 22,
2003. In Australia, it was marketed at A$199.99 on March 28, 2003. In Europe, it was marketed at 129.99 on
March 28, 2003.
Physical
Size (closed): Approximately 8.4 8.2 2.44cm (3.3 3.23 0.96inches).
Weight: 142grams (approximately 5 ounces)
Screen: 2.9inch Reflective TFT Color LCD.
Light source: Frontlight integrated LCD.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery.
Battery life: 10 hours continuous play with light on, 18 hours with light off; needs at most 3 hours recharging.
Hardware colors: Onyx, Flame, Platinum, Cobalt Blue, Pearl Pink, Pearl Blue, Graphite, Midnight Blue,
Charizard Fire Red, Torchic Orange, Venusaur Leaf Green, NES classic design, and Pikachu Yellow. A limited
gold edition with a Triforce and the Hyrule Royal Family crest was available in Europe which included a copy of
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. In 2003, Toys R Us sold an exclusive gold edition (without any Zelda
symbols) in the US starting on Black Friday of that year, initially with a Super Mario Advance 4 game. In
September 2005, a Surf Blue edition was sold through Best Buy. A special Pokmon Emerald pack contained a
limited edition Green Rayquaza SP and the Emerald game. A limited edition backlit edition exists. There is also
an All Blacks edition. An Orange and red version was made as a prize for a speed run competition for Metroid
Zero Mission. A red SP with a circle with an M in it, modeled after Mario's cap, was also made in a special pack
that included the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong game.Main article: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy
Advance SP
The GBA SP is slightly more than half the size of the GBA when closed and roughly the height of Nintendo's Game
Boy Color when open. The clamshell or laptop design protects the screen from scratches and dust, reminiscent of
two-screen Game & Watch units. However, the casing is made from a different material, making it more prone to
scratches than previous Game Boy systems. The slot for cartridges has been moved to the front of the system, facing
towards the user.
The GBA SP AC adapter comes with the package to recharge its lithium ion battery, something previous Game Boys
did not have. The software library and general hardware specifications are identical to those of the Game Boy
Advance. This adapter is also compatible with the original version of the DS.
In Japan it was released in a variety of standard colors and special packages. In most other regions it was released in
Platinum Silver and Charcoal Black. Later, a Flame Red version was released. Six special editions have also been
released: a NES Classics model with the same color scheme as a classic NES controller (and designed to resemble a
NES deck when closed), a SpongeBob SquarePants model, a Pikachu model, and a silver model with a tattoo design
engraved on it, called the 'Tribal Edition'.
[2]
In other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, additional
colors have been released, such as Pearl Green and Starlight Gold.
[3]
Additionally, two new special versions have
been released in Asia exclusive to that region.
Nintendo was planning to have the SP be 3D-compatible, but the resolution of LCD was too low, resulting in
Nintendo scrapping it.
[4]
Game Boy Advance SP
413
Internal
CPU: 32-bit ARM7TDMI with embedded memory.
Co-processor: 8-bit Zilog Z80
Memory: 32 kilobyte+96 kilobyte VRAM (internal CPU), 256 kilobyte DRAM (external CPU).
Resolution: 240 160 pixels.
Color: 15-bit RGB (16-bit color space using 5 bits depth per channel), capable of displaying 512 simultaneous
colors in "character mode" and 32,768 (2
15
) simultaneous colors in "bitmap mode".
Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. Game Boy games can be played using
the same selectable color palettes as on the Game Boy Color.
Headphone jack
Headphone adapter for Game Boy Advance SP
Nintendo removed the stereo headphone jack from the SP, which had
been included on all previous Game Boy models. Headphones
designed specifically for the GBA SP can be purchased, or standard
headphones can be attached with an optional, stereophonic adapter that
plugs into the same port as the AC adapter.
As both AC adapter and headphones use the same port, it is not possible to charge the SP and listen to headphones at
the same time with the Nintendo brand adapter. There are, however, third-party solutions, such as an adapter that
"splits" into two different cords; the power jack on one side, and a mono headphone jack on the other.
Backlit Model (AGS-101)
The pearl blue AGS-101 GBA SP model that
featured an improved backlit screen.
In September 2005, around the time of the Game Boy Micro's release,
Nintendo released an improved version of the Game Boy Advance SP
in North America, featuring a brighter backlit screen instead of the
previous version's frontlit screen. The new model can be distinguished
by the following features:
The box states "Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!" to
distinguish the new model from the older, frontlit models.
The backlit SP has the Model Number AGS-101 on the label on the
bottom of the unit, whereas the original frontlit SP has the Model
Number AGS-001
[5]
The mini button at the top center of the console's lower face is now
referred to in the manual as the "Brightness Switch" and selects
between two levels of brightness, "Normal"(Low) and "Bright"(High) with no off setting. On the frontlit models
this button turned the frontlight on or off only. With the backlight set to "Normal"(Low) the brightness still
surpasses the original AGS-001 with the frontlight on.
The North American backlit version comes in three standard colors: "Pearl Blue", "Pearl Pink" and "Graphite" (a
greyer version of Onyx Black). There were also two Toys "R" Us exclusive backlit models; a "SpongeBob
SquarePants" model
[6]
and a "Limited Edition Pikachu" model.
In 2006, the AGS-101 backlit model also saw a very limited release in Europe.
[7]
Few models made it to market,
likely due to the release of the Game Boy Advance-compatible Nintendo DS one year prior. The European version
was released in "Surf Blue"
[8]
as well as re-issued "Pink" and "Tribal" editions.
Unlike the North American release, the European box does not feature any prominent text to distinguish the backlit
models from the older frontlit models. In addition, only the "Surf Blue" color was unique to the AGS-101, the other
Game Boy Advance SP
414
two colors "Pink" and "Tribal" had already been released as frontlit models - for these reasons it can be very difficult
to identify a European backlit SP. Apart from the AGS-101 model number on the base of the unit, the only other
obvious distinguishing feature of the European backlit model is the large picture of the Game Boy Advance SP
featured on the front of the box. (The European frontlit models of "Pink" and "Tribal" only feature small pictures of
the Game Boy Advance SP on the sides of the box and Flower/Tattoo patterns on the front respectively.)
So far the European AGS-101 model is only reported in Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany, Italy, The
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland so it may not be released in all European countries.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
Sales information
As of June 30, 2009, the Game Boy Advance series has sold 81.48 million units worldwide, of which 43.54 million
are Game Boy Advance SP units.
Life-to-date Number of units sold
Date Japan Americas Other Total
2003-03-31 0.82 million 0.83 million 0.46 million 2.10 million
2003-06-30 4.84 million
2004-06-30 19.33 million
2005-06-30
Game Boy Advance SP
415
References
[1] Nintendo - Customer Service | Game Boy Advance SP - Frequently Asked Questions (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ systems/
gameboyadvance_sp/ faq. jsp#sp)
[2] Tribal Edition GBA SP for Europe (http:/ / www.nintendoworldreport. com/ newsArt. cfm?artid=9501)
[3] Gameboy Advance SP Star Light Gold Toys R Us Limited Edition (GFF-3663) (http:/ / gameforfun. com/ es/ product. asp?product_id=3663)
[4] Iwata Asks (http:/ / iwataasks.nintendo.com/ interviews/ #/ 3ds/ how-nintendo-3ds-made/ 0/ 2). Iwataasks.nintendo.com. Retrieved on
2014-02-21.
[5] AGB/AGS/OXY: Game Boy Advance (http:/ / maru-chang. com/ hard/ agb/ english. htm)
[6] GBA SP Gets Brighter (http:/ / uk. gameboy.ign. com/ articles/ 652/ 652641p1. html)
[7] Brighter SP coming to Europe (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ news230905brightersp)
[8] Gameboy Advance SP - European AGS-101 Model (Backlit) Unboxing (http:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=QC1ldBUO-bw)
External links
Official website (http:/ / gameboy. com)
Game Boy Advance (http:/ / register. nintendo. com/ systemsgba) at Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ /
web. archive. org/ web/ 20070810144102/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ systemsgba) at the Internet Archive
Wayback Machine)
Comparison of GBA SP 101 vs 001 (http:/ / www. ntsc-uk. co. uk/ showthread.
php?109460-GBA-SP-101-vs-001-comparison)
Game Boy Micro
416
Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro
Release date
JP
September 13, 2005
NA
September 19, 2005
AUS
November 3, 2005
EU
November 4, 2005
Discontinued January 31, 2008Wikipedia:Citation needed
Units sold 2.42 million (details)
Media Game Pak
CPU 32-bit ARM7TDMI (16.78MHz)
Predecessor Game Boy Advance SP (concurrent)
Successor Nintendo DS
Game Boy Micro ( Gmu Bi mikuroHelp:Installing Japanese character sets)
(stylized as Game Boy micro) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first
released in September 2005. The system is the very last console for the original Game Boy line.
History
The Game Boy Micro was officially unveiled by Nintendo of America's vice president of sales and marketing,
Reggie Fils-Aime, at the company's E3 press conference on May 17, 2005. The system was released in Japan on
September 13, 2005 and in North America on September 19, 2005. It was released in Europe on November 4, 2005
and Australia on November 3, 2005. It was released in China as the iQue Game Boy Micro on October 1, 2005, and
later released in South Korea on November 9, 2005.
Game Boy Micro
417
Design and specifications
The control pad has a similar design to the later
Nintendo DS Lite system.
The Game Boy Micro retains some of the functionality of the
Game Boy Advance SP, but with an updated form factor. It is
unable to play original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games due
to design changes. Even though it still has the required Z80
processor and graphics hardware necessary to run the old games, it
is missing other circuitry necessary to be compatible with the old
Game Boy cartridges. It is officially incompatible with the
Nintendo e-Reader and some other peripherals due to design
issues. It is smaller than previous Game Boy systems.
Additionally, it features a backlit screen with the ability to adjust
the brightness so as to adapt to lighting. The shape itself is kept to
a more simple oblongsimilar to the style of the Nintendo
Entertainment System controller.
The Game Boy Micro features a removable face plate that allows consumers to purchase alternative designs.
Dimensions: 5010117.2mm (240.7in)
Weight: 80g (2.8oz)
Processor: 32-bit 16.8MHz ARM processor (ARM7TDMI)
Case Colors: various
Screen: 51mm / 2inches, backlight with adjustable brightness.
Resolution: 240160 pixels
Colors: 512 (character cell mode) or 32,768 (bitmap mode)
Battery: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, up to 5 hours of battery life with top brightness and sound or 8
hours with both features on default
Headphones: standard 3.5mm headphone jack
[1]
The Game Boy Micro has a two-way switch on its right side for adjusting volume up or down. By holding down the
L shoulder button, the switch can also be used to adjust the backlight between five levels of brightness.
Software and hardware
The Game Boy Micro is compatible with Game Boy Advance games, including Game Boy Advance Video Game
Paks.
According to the Game Boy Micro's Instruction Manual,
[2]
the following games/accessories are not compatible with
the Game Boy Micro system:
Original Game Boy Game Paks
Game Boy Color Game Paks
Game Boy or Game Boy Advance Game Link cables
Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter
Game Boy Advance e-Reader
Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable
Game Boy Printer
Game Boy Camera
While Game Boy or Game Boy Advance Game Link cables and the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter are not
compatible with the Game Boy Micro system, adapters and a Game Boy Micro-compatible Wireless adapter have
been released
[3]
Nintendo has also redesigned their Play-Yan music/video adapter to better fit the Game Boy Micro.
Game Boy Micro
418
This device can play MP3 and digital video files from SD cards.
As with the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP systems, there are no regional lockouts on software, so
North American games can be played on Japanese or European hardware and vice versa.
Packaging
See also: List of Game Boy colors and styles Game Boy Micro
Comparing the size of Game Boy Micro and Game
Boy Advance SP.
In Japan, the handheld has been released in four colors and styles
each. The four colors are black, blue, purple, and silver. The Game
Boy Micro also has four limited edition styles: one based on the
original Famicom video game console's controller, a blue bodied
model with a faceplate based on Final Fantasy IV, a red bodied
and red faced edition for the release of the game Mother 3,
[4]
and a
red bodied model with a black faceplate containing the silhouette
of the iconic Pikachu from the Pokmon franchise.
In the United States and Canada, the Game Boy Micro is available
in two regular colors, each sold with three interchangeable
faceplates included: silver with black, "Ammonite" and "Ladybug"
faceplates, and black with silver, "Flame" and "Camouflage"
faceplates.
[5]
The "20th Anniversary" edition was released in
December 2005, which resembles the Famicom controller.
In Europe the Game Boy Micro is available in four different
colors, with one matching faceplate: silver, green, blue and pink.
Game Boy Micro sold in Australia have the same colors (except
Green which replaced by red color) as Europe.
[6]
There are reportedly no plans to sell additional faceplates in the US retail locations (as indicated in the letter page in
issue 200 of Nintendo Power) or the UK.
[7]
Nintendo of Europe cannot supply replacement faceplates of any kind,
and the feature is omitted from the product's marketing, packaging, and manual in Europe. However, some third
parties are manufacturing such faceplates for sale in the US and Europe, and some importers stock faceplates
acquired from Japan. Nintendo of America sells some of the faceplates individually online.
[8]
Release and sales
Life-to-date Number of units sold
Date Japan Americas Other Total
2005-09-30 0.41 million 0.29 million 0 0.70 million
2007-03-31
[9]
0.61 million 0.95 million 0.87 million 2.42 million
The Game Boy Micro sold over 170,000 units during its first days in Japan.
[10]
Game Boy Micro
419
The North American release drew some criticism; with a formal release of September 19, 2005, many stores
simply ignored it, some delaying it until September 26, 2005 or as late as September 30, 2005.Wikipedia:Citation
needed
According to a Q1 2007 Nintendo earnings release, 2.42 million Game Boy Micro units had been sold worldwide
as of March 31, 2007, including 610,000 units in Japan, 950,000 units in the Americas, and 870,000 in other
territories such as Europe and Oceania.
As of July 30, 2007, the Game Boy Micro has sold 2.5 million units, according to GamePro. It was ranked #8 in
their "The 10 Worst-Selling Handhelds of All Time".
Generally, the Game Boy Micro did not sell well, and failed to reach the company's aim of units sold.
Satoru Iwata stated that the marketing of the Nintendo DS may have hurt the Micro in the marketplace and admitted
that Game Boy Micro sales did not meet Nintendo's expectations.
Price history
The system retailed for US$99,
[11]
compared to US$79 for the Game Boy Advance SP. The system was originally
available in black and silver, and a red 20th Anniversary Edition was later released to commemorate the 20th
anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment system.
Reception
A blue Game Boy Micro next to a Game Boy Advance
game pack.
The Game Boy Micro's backlit screen, which is superior to the
original Game Boy Advance SP's (a later remodel added a similar
high quality screen to SP systems), has been praised for its
visibility. Due to a finer dot pitch, the screen is more evenly lit,
and the brightness is adjustable. The smaller dot pitch has also
improved the apparent sharpness of the display.
The removable faceplates have also been praised because they
allow for personalization and protect the high-resolution backlit
screen.
[]
References
[1] Nintendo Game Boy Micro review (http:/ / reviews. cnet. co. uk/ gamesconsoles/ 0,139102147,39192526,00. htmcNetUK)". cNetUK.
[2] Game Boy Micro Instruction Manual, Page 10 (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ downloads/ micro_eng. pdf)". Nintendo. Retrieved on
08-20-09.
[3] Game Boy Micro Instruction Manual, Page 18 (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ downloads/ micro_eng. pdf). Nintendo. Retrieved on
08-20-09.
[4] Mother 3 GB Micro (http:/ / www. eurogamer.net/ article. php?article_id=62991). Eurogamer. Published February 21, 2006, retrieved April
20, 2006.
[5] http:/ / www. worldwideconsoles. com/ index. php/ consoles/ 51-gbm/ 60-gbminfo?format=pdf
[6] Game Boy Micro launch date and price (http:/ / www. nintendo-europe. com/ NOE/ en/ GB/ news/ article.
do?elementId=2Z0isTa2OGFltG6wY0UZ6uHZstm0brlm). Nintendo Europe. August 17, 2005.
[7] "McBacon". "No Micro Faceplates for Europe" (http:/ / www. britishgaming. co. uk/ ?p=291). January 5, 2006.
[8] Faceplates on Nintendo US Online Store (http:/ / store. nintendo. com/ webapp/ wcs/ stores/ servlet/ ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&
storeId=10001& langId=-1& currency=USD& page=& view=& productId=92205& categoryId=59214). Retrieved April 11, 2007.
[9] http:/ / www. nintendo.com/ corp/ report/ FY07FinancialResults. pdf
[10] "Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending September 18" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=6615). Gamasutra.
September 23, 2005.
[11] "Game Boy Micro US Packaging" (http:/ / gameboy.ign. com/ articles/ 650/ 650400p1. html). IGN. September 12, 2005. Retrieved
February 2, 2007
Game Boy Micro
420
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Boy Micro.
Official North American website (http:/ / micro. gameboy. com) Wikipedia:Link rot
Game Boy Advance (http:/ / register. nintendo. com/ systemsgba) at Nintendo.com Wikipedia:Link rot( archived
versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070810144102/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ systemsgba) at the
"Nintendo Customer Service | Game Boy Micro Frequently Asked Questions" (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/
consumer/ systems/ micro/ faq. jsp)
IQue Player
421
IQue Player
This article is about the home console. For other iQue products, see iQue.
iQue Player
Developer Nintendo
Manufacturer iQue
Generation fifth generation technology
Release date
CH
November 17, 2003
Introductory price 498
Media Flash card, cartridge
Power AC Adapter
CPU R-4300 64Bit CPU, 93.75 MHz
Memory 4 MB
Graphics 62.5 MHz Reality Co-Processor
Sound ADPCM 64
Connectivity USB (Fugue Online)
Online services
iQue Depot, Fugue Online
[1]
Best-selling game Dr. Mario 64 (Pre-installed in bundled memorycard)
Related articles Nintendo 64
Website
iQue
[2]
(Chinese)
The iQue Player /aHelp:IPA for English#Keykju/ is a video game console that was manufactured by iQue, a joint
venture between Nintendo and Chinese-American scientist Dr. Wei Yen. The system also goes under the Chinese
name of Shn Yu Ji ( ), literally "Divine Gaming Machine". Shnyu ( ) also serves a double
entendre because the term also means "to make a mental journey". The console itself takes the form of the controller
and plugs directly into the television. A box accessory is available that allows multiplayer gaming.
[3]
At the moment,
it is only marketed in mainland China, as the console's unusual game distribution method is an attempt to curb games
piracy in that region.
IQue Player
422
Games for this console are stored on a 64MB flash card which is contained within a cartridge that plugs directly into
the controller/console. Games are purchased at a special "iQue depot" where games may be downloaded onto the
cartridge and played later, in a similar manner to the Famicom Disk System. Demo games that come with the iQue
include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and Star Fox 64. These demos are time-limited
versions of the games. Full versions of the three titles are available, as are other first party Nintendo titles such as Dr.
Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Wave Race 64, and F-Zero X.
Technical details
The iQue Player is based on the Nintendo 64, but uses system-on-a-chip technology to reduce size. It plays Nintendo
64 games specifically ported to the system.
Processor: R-4300 64Bit CPU, 93.75MHz
Memory: 4MB RAMBUS
Graphics: 100,000 polygons/second, 2.09 million colors
Sound: ADPCM 64
Main Menu
Once the player has turned on the system, the iQue logo will appear. Then, an advertisement for a game will appear
and it will say to press the A button to continue. The main menu lists the games on the memory card and info on the
games as well. Once the player has selected a game, a message will appear asking if they want to play this game. A
loading screen may appear. If the player presses Z on the highlighted game, a description of the game will appear.
Like many other consoles, the player can change the system settings such as TV resolution and username. The
system settings will also appear when the player first uses the system.
Online Services
The iQue Player has online services for buying games, cloud storage, game updates, etc. Currently, there are two
online services for the iQue Player; one is kiosk based, another is broadband based.
iQue Depot
The iQue depot is a network of kiosks that allows users to download games, update games, and more. Each game
comes with a game code that can be used so the user can download the game. Players can also store their games on
the iQue Depot network for free. They're mostly seen at gas stations in China. Users must be a member of the iQue
Club and have a special iQue Ticket to download games.
Fugue Online
Fugue online is an online service that allows users to get free access to games at home, update their system and
more. To connect to Fugue Online, players must plug the iQue Player to his/her computer via USB. Games are
downloaded on the computer, in a similar manner to an MP3 player. Plans have been mentioned to make online
multiplayer and communication possible in the near future.
Accessories
Memory Card
The iQue Player memory card is bundled with the system. It is required to start the system and to load the games.
Both the games and the game save states are saved on the memory card.
IQue Player
423
Swim Box
The iQue Player Swim Box is required to play local multiplayer. The iQue Player is used as the Player 1 controller.
The Swim Box isn't compatible with other iQue Player Systems, so other players have to use a Swim Controller.
Swim Controller
The Swim Controller is used for multiplayer. The Swim Controller can't load games alone. Games have to be loaded
on the iQue system.
History
Development
China has an overwhelming black market for video games and usually only a few games officially make it to the
Chinese market. Many Chinese gamers tend to purchase pirated cartridge or disc copies or download ROMs and
ISOs to play via emulator. Nintendo wanted to curb the software piracy in China, and also by-pass the then-ban that
the Chinese government implemented on home game consoles since 2000. Nintendo partnered with Wei Yen, who
also helped Nintendo in other projects, and together they created a game system to get around China's black market,
as well as loophole through the government's ban. Originally, the system would support games released on Nintendo
consoles prior to the GameCube, which include the NES, Super NES and Nintendo 64, but later in the system's
development, it was resulted to only include Nintendo 64 games. Additionally, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
was going to be included in the software library but it was later cancelled (possibly due to some graphic elements
that are against China's censorship policy); however, the game's promotional picture is still on the back of the box.
[4]
Release
The iQue Player was released on 17 November 2003 with a few launch titles. Nintendo strategy to market games in
China was to show how videogames can help improve children's mental and social development. At first, the only
way to get games was to buy them via the iQue Depot, but in 2009, Nintendo released Fugue Online to download
games at home. The latest game released was released in 2006.
Successor
As of 2014, no successor to the iQue Player has been launched. Nintendo had previously announced plans to release
the Wii in China, but it was later confirmed by Satoru Iwata in 2007 that the Wii would only be available in Hong
Kong, and marketed under the Nintendo brand.
Games
The iQue Player's library has 14 games. All these games were released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan and other
regions prior to the iQue Player. One game was cancelled.
IQue Player
424
Original title in
English/Japanese
Chinese (Simplified) Pinyin Released
Date
Demo included
with system
Game
Code
Genre Game Modes
Wave Race 64 ! Shu Shng
Mtu
17
November
2003
51011
[5]
Racing Single-Player,
Multi-Player (2
players)
Star Fox 64 " # $ % Xngj Huh 17
November
2003
41011
[6]
Shooter Single-Player,
Multi-Player (4
players)
Dr. Mario 64 & ' ( ) * Mlu Yshng 17
November
2003
Full version
included with
bundled
memory card
61011
[7]
Puzzle Single-Player,
Multi-Player (4
players)
Super Mario 64 & ' ( Shn Yu
Mlu
17
November
2003
10011
[8]
Platform Single-Player
The Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time
+ , - . / 0
1 2 3 4 / +
, - . /-1 2
3 4-
Srd
Chunshu:
Shgung zh D
17
November
2003
21011
[9]
Action-adventure Single-Player
Mario Kart 64 & ' ( 5 6 7 Mlu
Kdngch
25
December
2003
52011
[10]
Multi-Player (4
players)
F-Zero X F-Zero X 8 9 :
7
F-Zero X
Wili Sich
25
February
2004
52021
[11]
Multi-Player (4
players)
Yoshi's Story ; < = > Yox Gsh 25 March
2004
11021
[12]
Paper Mario ? @ & ' ( Zh Pin
Mlu
8 June 2004
21021
[13]
Sin and Punishment:
Successor of the Earth
A B C- D E
F G - -
Zu y F:
Dqi de
Jchng Zh
25
September
2004
41021
[14]
On-Rail Shooter Single-Player,
Multi-Player (2
players)
Excitebike 64 H ! Yuy Mtu 2005
51021
[15]
Multi-Player (4
players)
Super Smash Bros. I J K "
L M
Rntintng
Mngxng D
Lun Du
15
November
2005
12021
[16]
Fighting Single-Player,
Multi-Player (4
players)
Custom Robo N O P Q Zh Jqrn 1 May 2006
21051
[17]
Role-Playing Single-Player,
Multi-Player
Dbutsu no Mori R S T Dngw Snln 1 June 2006
21041
[18]
Life Simulation Single-Player
Difference to the N64 Versions
iQue Player games differ slightly from their N64 counterparts, with the text and voices having been translated to
Chinese. The only exceptions are the Mario games and the previously Japan-only title Sin and Punishment, where
the text has been translated while the voices remain in English. Also, the iQue games are newer than the N64
counterparts, so many glitches and errors from the original games have been fixed. Some features were also removed
due to the system's lack of support for N64 controller accessories like the Rumble Pak. Due to this, many games that
IQue Player
425
originally supported the rumble feature no longer support it. Some features were also added. Many games that allow
the player to enter his/her name now have the option to use their iQue Player's username, which can be set at the
iQue Player's main menu.
Nintendo had plans to support network multiplayer in games that originally only supported local multiplayer, which
would work in a similar manner to that of an emulator.Wikipedia:Citation needed
References
[1] http:/ / www. ique. com/ M_athome. htm iQue Ltd].
[2] http:/ / www. ique. com/ products/ M_Player.htm
[3] iQue Ltd (http:/ / www.ique. com/ machine_bb_gyh.htm)
[4] http:/ / www. youtube.com/ watch?v=eGT7lRptA3c
[5] iQue Ltd (http:/ / www.ique. com/ games/ 51011. htm)
[10] iQue Ltd (http:/ / www. ique. com/ games/ 52011.htm)
External links
iQue PLAYER website (http:/ / www. ique. com/ products/ M_Player. htm) (Chinese)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to IQue Player.
L600
426
L600
Indrema was an electronics company famous for the vaporware Indrema L600 Entertainment System.
Founded in early 2000 by John Gildred, Indrema's goal was to create a video game console based on common PC
hardware and the Linux operating system. The console would have been the only open source console on the market,
as well as the only modern console to allow free software to be written for it.
The console was expected to be released by the holiday season of 2000, but rather than an official announcement,
those subscribed to Indrema's mailing list received instead a "top ten" list in the style of David Letterman. By this
time, people were beginning to suspect that the console was vaporware; Indrema had produced nothing but press
releases so far.
Lack of a product and insufficient capital contributed to Indrema's demise. After being unable to raise enough capital
to keep the company alive, Indrema shut down on April 6, 2001. In his last Indrema chat session, Gildred revealed
that the company needed more than $10,000,000 in capital in order to continue and gave the following advice to the
next video game startup: "finish product before talking about it."
L600
The L600 was to be a Linux-based game console/computer and was in the process of being developed by Indrema
until Indrema ceased operations in April 2001. Besides game play, it was also to be a CD player, DVD player, web
browser, and TiVo-like video recorder. It also would have been an MP3 storage device.
Had the console been released, it would have cost US$299 and would have had 30 games available at launch. It
would have had 64MB RAM and 96MB total. Its storage medium would have been 10GB discs. It would have had
HDTV support. Indrema would have let regular end-users develop their games via their development kit. Most
companies charge more than $10,000 USD for their kits. It would have had a GPU slide bay (it allowed you to slide
out the graphics processor when a better one was available), an x86-based microprocessor running at 600MHz, and
it would have been able to process 120-180 million polygons per second.
There was little hope for the L600, however, as its speculated release date of Summer 2001 or later was after the
launch of Sega's Dreamcast and Sony's PlayStation 2, and very near or after the release of Microsoft's Xbox and
Nintendo's GameCube. The Dreamcast, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 also launched at lower price points and the
Xbox at the same speculated US$299. It was just one of many independently developed systems that would be
unable to take consumer attention and spending from more established, previously mentioned companies already in
the market.
External links
Indrema Informer
[1]
- includes technical specifications and a list of links to Indrema-related news articles.
References
[1] http:/ / www. newbreedsoftware. com/ bill/ indrema/ index2. php3
N-Gage
427
N-Gage
N-Gage may refer to:
Nokia N-Gage
N-Gage (device), a handheld gaming mobile from Nokia, released in 2003
N-Gage QD, the re-designed gaming mobile, released in 2004
N-Gage (service), the former N-Gage service, containing many games for some Symbian S60 Nokia smartphones
N-Gage QD
428
N-Gage QD
Nokia N-Gage QD
Manufacturer Nokia
Retail availability May 2004
Discontinued November 2005
Media MMC
CPU ARM9E
Storage MMC, 3.4 MB internal memory
Online services N-Gage Arena
The N-Gage QD
[1]
According to Nokia spokesman Will Willis, some have suggested that the letters could be
considered to stand for quaque die, meaning every day in Latin)</ref> is a handheld game console and smartphone
by Nokia, and a redesign of the N-Gage. It was unveiled on April 14, 2004, and was released on May 26, 2004,
running the same Symbian OS v6.0 with Series 60 1st Edition FP1.
It revised the device's physical design, being smaller and rounder. It corrected the flaw of the cartridge slot with a
more convenient one on the bottom of the device. This design also moved the earpiece to the face of the device,
rather than on the side, as in the previous model.
The device retailed at a lower price compared to the original N-Gage device, aided by the fact that it was usually
sold with service contracts and applicable subsidies. For instance, in the United States the N-Gage QD was available
as a prepaid phone offered by Cingular for $99.99 at retail games stores such as Electronics Boutique and GameStop.
Hardware specifications: Weight: 143 grams (0.315lb), dimensions: 118 68 22mm (4.65 2.68 0.87in).
Changes
Some features, available in the original system, such as MP3 playback, FM radio reception and USB connectivity
were removed from the new device, presumably to reduce size and cost. Instead of using the N-Gage with generic
USB removable drive drivers, a user could use either Bluetooth or a separate MMC card reader to transfer files onto
the device memory or an MMC card for use in the N-Gage QD. The QD did not support MP3 internally; however, it
could still play MP3s with third-party software, albeit only in 16kHz mono.
Another change from the original unit was the "Orange-and-grey" theme of the face of the unit as well as the GUI.
Some felt this was an unwanted change from the 'more colorful' GUI of the original N-Gage. Even then there were
some third-party applications that enhanced the interface or replaced the system shell.
As a telephony device, the newer N-Gage no longer supported three GSM frequency bands 900/1800/1900; instead it
came in two dual-band variants, one for the American market and another for the European and Asian markets.
N-Gage QD
429
The only change made to the device's buttons was the replacement of the original five-way controller (four ordinal
directions and a center "click" or confirm) with a simpler four-way directional controller and a separate "OK" button
with a check logo.
The QD was running the same software version as its predecessor, despite the newer Symbian 7.0s Series 60 2nd
Edition having been shipped on several smartphones by the time the QD was announced.
N-Gage QD Silver Edition
Announced in August 2005, the N-Gage QD Silver Edition could be seen as an exercise in extending the life of the
N-Gage product range while new N-Gage devices were developed and the N-Gage gaming range was integrated into
the mainstream Series 60 product range. Apart from cosmetic changes and the replacement of the two specialist
gaming buttons (5 and 7) with standard keys, there was no difference in the N-Gage QD Silver Edition to the regular
N-Gage QD.
It was made available in the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets on September 1, 2005.
References
[1] "QD" is primarily a marketing designation, and does not officially stand for anything.<ref>
Neo Geo Pocket Color
430
Manufacturer SNK
Retail availability
JP
March 16, 1999
NA
August 6, 1999
EU
October 1, 1999
Introductory price $69.95
Discontinued 2001
Units sold 2 million, including Neo-Geo Pocket units (as of July 30, 2007)
Media Cartridge
Power 2 AA batteries for 40 hours of play, Lithium CR2032 for backup memory and clock
CPU Toshiba TLCS900H core (16-bit) clocked at 6.144MHz, Zilog Z80 clocked at 3.072MHz for sound
Memory 12KB RAM for 900H, 4KB RAM for Z80, 64KB ROM
Display 160x152 resolution, 146 colors on screen out of a palette of 4096
Backward
compatibility
Neo Geo Pocket
Predecessor Neo Geo Pocket
Successor Neo Geo X
The Neo Geo Pocket Color (often abbreviated NGPC), is a 16-bit color handheld video game console manufactured
by SNK. It is a successor to SNK's monochrome Neo Geo Pocket handheld which debuted in 1998 in Japan. The
Neo Geo Pocket Color was released on March 16, 1999 in Japan, August 6, 1999 in North America, and on October
1, 1999 in Europe.
The Neo Geo Pocket Color was SNK's last video game console, and is backwards compatible with Neo Geo Pocket.
In 2000, following SNK's purchase by American pachinko manufacturer Aruze, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was
discontinued in the North American and European markets. It did, however, last until 2001 in Japan, with a total of 2
million units sold.
431
Features
Closely modeled after its predecessor, the Neo Geo Pocket Color design sports two face buttons on the right hand
side of the system, and an eight-direction digital D-pad on the left. It is meant to be held horizontally (as opposed to
the Game Boy's vertical setup) and features a color screen in the center of the unit.
Similar to the Game Boy and its successor, Game Boy Advance, the Neo Geo Pocket Color does not have a back-lit
screen, and games can only be played in a well-lit area. The Neo Geo Pocket Color is unusual in that it requires two
sets of batteries two AA batteries for the system itself, and an optional CR2032 battery to retain backup memory
and keep the clock active.
In addition to a clock and calendar, the Neo Geo Pocket Color has several other features such as generated
horoscopes and an alarm system.
History
U.S. Release
Close-up of the Faselei! game cartridge.
The U.S. version of the Neo Geo Pocket Color had an exclusive
launch on the website eToys in 1999. eToys also sold the initial
launch titles in the preferred plastic snap lock cases. The system
debuted in the United States with six launch titles (twenty
promised by end of year) and retail price of $69.95. Six different
unit colors were available: Camouflage Blue, Carbon Black,
Crystal White, Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, and Stone Blue.
Prior to SNK's acquistion by Aruze, the Neo Geo Pocket Color
was being advertised on U.S. television and units were being sold
nationwide at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us, and other major
retail chains.
Post-Aruze buyout
Remaining stock was bought back by SNK for repackaging in Asia. In June 2000, SNK of America (and Europe)
tried recalling most of the back-stock of systems and games to be flashed and re-sold in Asia where the system
would continue to be sold and supported. Some of the back-stock of American NGPC hardware and software began
to resurface on the American and Asian markets in 2003. These units frequently appeared bundled with six games
stripped of their cases and manuals. Two games often included, Faselei! and Last Blade were never previously
released in United States, meaning that they have no U.S.-localized box or manual; however, these titles did receive
a European release, incorporating an English translation.
432
Legacy
No system enjoyed a greater success as a Game Boy competitor since Sega's Game Gear. However, it was hurt by
several factors, such as the Neo Geo heads' (the Barone family) notorious lack of communication with third-party
developers, the success of the Game Boy Color and the Pokmon franchise, and anticipation of the Game Boy
Advance.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The Neo Geo Pocket Color mainboard.
CPUs: Toshiba TLCS900H core (16-bit), 6.144MHz, Z80 at
3.072MHz for sound.
RAM: 12 k for 900H, 4k for Z80 (shared with the 900H).
ROM: 64 k boot ROM.
Interfaces: SIO 1 channel 19200 bit/s, 5-pin serial port.
Resolution: 160x152 (256x256 virtual screen).
DMA: 4 channels.
Colors: 16 palettes per plane, 48 palettes. 146 colors on screen out
of 4096 (or 20 colors out of 4096 in monochrome mode).
Sprites: 64 sprites per frame (8x8), 4 colors per sprite.
Scrolling: 2 scrolling planes, 8x8 character tiles (characters matrix shared with the sprites), 4 colors per tile.
Sound: SN76489 variant, T6W28 (3 square wave tone generators with limited stereo capability + 1 monaural
noise generator + direct access to the two 6 bits DAC).
Cartridges: Maximum 4 MB (32 Mbit) with 4 to 16 Mbit flash memory.
Batteries: 40 hours on 2 AA batteries. Lithium CR2032 battery backs up memory and clock.
The link cable for linking systems together
The system has an on-board language setting, and games display text
in the language selected (provided the cartridge supports that
language). Other settings can be set on the handheld such as time and
date, and the system can provide customized horoscopes when one's
birth-date is entered.
Cables for linking multiple systems were available, as well as a cable
to connect the NGPC and the Sega Dreamcast. Games that featured
this option include King of Fighters R-2 (links with King of Fighters
'99 Dream Match and King of Fighters Evolution); SNK vs. Capcom:
Match of the Millennium (links with Capcom vs. SNK); SNK vs.
Capcom: Card Fighters Clash (links with King of Fighters Evolution); SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 Clash
Expand Edition (links with Capcom vs SNK) and Cool Cool Jam (links with Cool Cool Toon). There was a wireless
connector released in Japan that allowed several players in close proximity to play together, with some cartridge
molding reshaped to hold it. An MP3 audio player add-on was developed but was not released due to SNK's closure.
References
External links
Neo Geo Pocket (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ SNK/ Neo_Geo_Pocket)
at DMOZ
Nintendo GameCube
433
Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
A Nintendo GameCube with controller and 251-block memory card.
Also known as Dolphin (code-name)
Developer Nintendo
Manufacturer Foxconn
Release date
JP
September 14, 2001
NA
November 18, 2001
EU
May 3, 2002
AUS
May 17, 2002
Discontinued 2007
Media Nintendo GameCube Game Disc
Game Pak (Game Boy Player required)
Operating system Dolphin OS
CPU IBM PowerPC Gekko @ 485MHz
Storage None
Removable storage Nintendo GameCube Memory Card (16MB max. capacity)
Display
Composite video
S-Video (NTSC consoles only)
RGB SCART (PAL consoles only)
YP
B
P
R
component video/d-terminal (DOL-001 models only)
[1]
Graphics ATI Flipper @ 162MHz
Sound Analog stereo (Dolby Pro Logic II)
Controller input Nintendo GameCube controller, WaveBird, Game Boy Advance, various other input devices
Connectivity Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter
Online services Limited
Nintendo GameCube
434
Dimensions 5.96.34.3in
149160112mm
(widthdepthheight)
Best-selling game Super Smash Bros. Melee, 7.09 million (as of March 10, 2008)
Predecessor Nintendo 64
Successor Wii
Related articles Panasonic Q
The GameCube ( GmukybuHelp:Installing Japanese character sets, officially called
Nintendo GameCube, abbreviated NGC in Japan and Europe and GCN in North America) is a video game console
released by Nintendo on September 14, 2001, in Japan and November 18, 2001, in North America. It was later
released worldwide in 2002. The sixth-generation console was the successor to the Nintendo 64 and competed with
Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox, and Sega's Dreamcast.
The GameCube was the first Nintendo console to use optical discs for its primary storage medium. The discs are
similar to the miniDVD format, and as a result of their smaller size, the system was not designed to play standard
DVDs or audio CDs. Nintendo presents a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. It supports online
gaming for a small number of games via the broadband or modem adapter, sold separately; and it connects to the
Game Boy Advance, allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a second screen
and controller.
Contemporary reception of the GameCube was generally positive. Some praised the extensive software library and
high-quality games, while others criticized the console's exterior design and lack of features. The GameCube sold
approximately 22 million units worldwide before being discontinued in 2007. Its successor, the Wii, was released in
November 2006.
History
Dr. Yen has assembled at ArtX one of the best teams of 3D graphics engineers on the planet.
Howard Lincoln
In 1997, a graphics hardware design company called ArtX was launched, staffed by twenty engineers who had
previously worked at SGI on the design of the Nintendo 64's graphics hardware. The team was led by Dr. Wei Yen,
who had been SGI's head of Nintendo Operations, the department responsible for the Nintendo 64's fundamental
architectural design.
Partnering with Nintendo in 1998, ArtX began the complete design of the system logic and of the graphics processor
(codenamed "Flipper") of Nintendo's sixth-generation video game console, reportedly bearing the early internal code
name of "N2000". At Nintendo's press conference in May 1999, the console was first publicly announced as "Project
Dolphin" the successor to the still-venerable Nintendo 64 whereupon Nintendo began providing development
kits to game developers. At the conference, Nintendo's Howard Lincoln said of ArtX, "This company is headed up
by Dr. Wei Yen, -- the man who was primarily responsible for the N64 graphics chip. Dr. Yen has assembled at
ArtX one of the best teams of 3D graphics engineers on the planet." Nintendo also announced there a longstanding
preexisting strategic partnership with IBM for the production of Dolphin's CPU, code named "Gekko".
ArtX was acquired by ATI in April 2000, whereupon the Flipper graphics processor design had already been mostly
completed by ArtX and was not overtly influenced by ATI. In total, ArtX team cofounder Greg Buchner recalled that
their portion of the console's hardware design timeline had arced from inception in 1998 to completion in 2000. Of
ATI's acquisition of ArtX, an ATI spokesperson said, "ATI now becomes a major supplier to the game console
market via Nintendo. The Dolphin platform is reputed to be king of the hill in terms of graphics and video
performance with 128-bit architecture."
Nintendo GameCube
435
The console was announced as the Nintendo GameCube at a press conference in Japan on August 24, 2000,
abbreviated as "NGC" in Japan and "GCN" in North America. Nintendo unveiled its software lineup for the
sixth-generation console at E3 2001, focusing on 15 launch titles that included Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros.
Melee, and Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader. Several titles that were originally scheduled to launch with
the console were delayed. It was also the first console in the company's history not to offer a Mario platform title at
launch.
Long prior to launch, Nintendo developed and patented an early prototype of motion controls for the GameCube,
with which developer Factor 5 had experimented for its launch titles. An interview quoted Greg Thomas, Sega of
Americas VP of Development as saying, "What does worry me is Dolphins sensory controllers [which are rumored
to include microphones and headphone jacks] because theres an example of someone thinking about something
different." These motion control concepts would not be deployed until the Wii remote.
Prior to the Nintendo GameCube's release, Nintendo focused resources on the launch of the Game Boy Advance
(GBA), a handheld game console and successor to the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color. As a result, several
titles originally destined for the Nintendo 64 (N64) console were postponed in favor of being early releases on the
GameCube. The last first-party title in 2001 for the N64 was released in May, a month before the GBA launched and
six months before the GameCube, emphasizing the company's shift in resources. Concurrently, Nintendo was
developing software for the GameCube which would include future connectivity between the Game Boy Advance
and GameCube. Certain game titles, such as the The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures and Final Fantasy
Crystal Chronicles, would have the ability to use the handheld as a secondary screen and controller when connected
to the console via a link cable.
Nintendo began its marketing campaign with the catchphrase "The Nintendo Difference" at the E3 reveal. The goal
was to distinguish itself from the competition as an entertainment company. Later, advertisements pushed the slogan
"Born to Play", and video game commercials feature a rotating cube animation that morphed into a GameCube logo
and ended with a voice whispering, "GameCube".
The GameCube launched in Japan on September 14, 2001. Approximately 500,000 units were shipped in time to
retailers. The console was scheduled to launch two months later in North America on November 5, 2001, but the
date was pushed back in an effort to increase the number of available units. The console eventually launched in
North America on November 18, 2001, with over 700,000 units shipped to the region. Other regions followed suit
the following year beginning with Europe in the second quarter of 2002.
On April 22, 2002, veteran third party Nintendo console developer Factor 5 announced its 3D audio software
development kit for GameCube developers, titled MusyX. In collaboration with Dolby Laboratories, it provides
motion-based surround sound encoded as Dolby Pro Logic II.
Hardware
The Dolphin platform is reputed to be king of the hill in terms of graphics and video performance with 128-bit architecture.
ATI
See also: Nintendo GameCube technical specifications
Howard Cheng, technical director of Nintendo technology development, said the company's goal was to select a
"simple RISC architecture" to help speed development of games by making it easier on software developers. IGN
reported that the system was "designed from the get-go to attract third-party developers by offering more power at a
cheaper price. Nintendo's design doc for the console specifies that cost is of utmost importance, followed by space."
Hardware partner ArtX's Vice President Greg Buchner stated that their guiding thought on the console's hardware
design was to target the developers rather than the players, and to "look into a crystal ball" and discern "what's going
to allow the Miyamoto-sans of the world to develop the best games".
Nintendo GameCube
436
We thought about the developers as our main customers. In particular for GameCube, we spent three years working with Nintendo of
America and with all sorts of developers, trying to understand the challenges, needs, and problems they face. First among these is the
rising cost of development. The GameCube can see high performance without too much trouble; it isnt a quirky design, but a very
clean one. It was important we didnt require jumping through hoops for high performance to be achieved. On top of that, it is rich in
features, and we worked to include a dream group of technical features that developers requested.
Greg Buchner, ArtX's Vice President
Initiating the GameCube's design in 1998, Nintendo partnered with ArtX (then acquired by ATI Technologies during
development) for the system logic and the GPU, and with IBM for the CPU. IBM designed a PowerPC-based
processor for the next-generation console, known as Gekko, which runs at 485MHz and features a floating point
unit (FPU) capable of 1.9GFLOPS. Designed at 0.18 microns and described as "an extension of the IBM Power PC
architecture", Gekko features IBM's reportedly then-unique copper-based chip manufacturing technology.
Codenamed "Flipper", the GPU runs at 162MHz and, in addition to graphics, manages other tasks through its audio
and input/output (I/O) processors.
The GameCube introduced a proprietary miniDVD optical disc format as the storage medium for the console,
capable of storing up to 1.5GB of data. The technology was designed by Matsushita Electric Industrial (now
Panasonic Corporation) which utilized a proprietary encryption scheme different from the Content Scramble
System (CSS) found in standard DVDs to prevent unauthorized reproduction. The Famicom Data Recorder,
Famicom Disk System, SNES-CD, and 64DD had explored various complementary storage technologies, but the
GameCube was Nintendo's first console to move away from cartridge-based media altogether. The GameCube's
1.5GB mini-disc has sufficient room for most games, although a few games require an extra disc, higher video
compression, or sometimes feature less content than the other versions. By comparison, the contemporary
PlayStation 2 and Xbox can use 8.5GB Dual-Layer DVDs.
Like its predecessor, the Nintendo 64, GameCube models were produced in several different color motifs. The
system launched in "Indigo", the primary color shown in advertising and on the logo, and in "Jet Black". A year
later, Nintendo released a "Platinum" limited edition GameCube, which uses a silver color scheme for both the
console and controller. A "Spice" orange-colored console was eventually released as well only in Japan, though the
color scheme could be found on controllers released in other countries.
Nintendo developed stereoscopic 3D technology for the GameCube, and one launch title, Luigi's Mansion, supports
it. However, the feature was never enabled outside of development. 3D televisions were not widespread at the time,
and it was deemed that compatible displays would be too cost-prohibitive for the consumer. Another unofficial
feature are two audio Easter eggs that can be invoked during the console's startup routine. When the power is
activated with the "Z" button on the Player 1 controller held down, a more whimsical startup sound is heard in place
of the standard one. With four controllers connected, holding down the "Z" button on all four simultaneously
produces a "ninja-like" tune at startup.
Storage
Memory Card 59
The GameCube features two memory card ports for saving game data. Nintendo released
three official memory card options: 512KB (59 save blocks), 2MB (251 save blocks),
and 8MB (1019 save blocks). Several games were known to have compatibility issues
with the 8MB memory card, and at least two games have save issues with any size.
Memory cards with larger capacities were released by third-party manufacturers.
Controller
Main articles: Nintendo GameCube controller and WaveBird Wireless Controller
Nintendo GameCube
437
Nintendo learned from its experiences both positive and negative with the Nintendo 64's three-handled controller
design and went with a two-handled, "handlebar" design for the GameCube. The shape was made popular by Sony's
PlayStation controller released in 1994 and its follow-up DualShock series of gamepads introduced in 1997. In
addition to vibration feedback, the DualShock series was well known for having two analog sticks to improve the 3D
experience in games. Nintendo and Microsoft designed similar features in the controllers for their sixth-generation
consoles, but instead of having the analog sticks parallel to each other, they chose to stagger them by swapping the
positions of the directional pad (d-pad) and left analog stick. The GameCube controller features a total of eight
buttons, two analog sticks, a d-pad, and an internal rumble motor. The primary analog stick is on the left with the
d-pad located below and closer to the center. On the right are four buttons: a large, green "A" button in the center, a
smaller red "B" button to the left, an "X" button to the right, and a "Y" button at the top. Below and to the inside is a
yellow "C" analog stick, which often serves a variety of in-game functions, such as controlling the camera angle. The
Start/Pause button is located in the middle, and the rumble motor is encased within the center of the controller.
Indigo GameCube controller
On the top of the controller are two "pressure-sensitive" trigger buttons
marked "L" and "R". Each essentially provides two functions: one analog and
one digital. As the trigger is depressed, it emits an analog signal which
increases the more it is pressed in. Once fully depressed, the trigger "clicks"
registering a digital signal that can be used for a separate function within a
game. There is also a purple, digital button on the right side marked "Z".
Unique to the GameCube is the controller's prominent size and placement of
the A button. Having been the primary action button in past Nintendo
controller designs, it was given a larger size and more centralized placement
for the GameCube. The rubberized analog stick in combination with the
controller's overall button orientation was intended to reduce the dreaded
"Nintendo thumb" a term used to describe pain in any part of the hands, wrists, forearms, and shoulders as a result
of long-term play.
In 2002, Nintendo introduced the WaveBird Wireless Controller, the first wireless gamepad developed by a
first-party console manufacturer. The RF-based wireless controller is similar in design to the standard controller. It
communicates with the GameCube by way of a wireless receiver dongle connected to one of the console's controller
ports. Powered by two AA batteries, which are housed in a compartment on the underside of the controller, the
WaveBird lacks the vibration functionality of the standard controller. In addition to the standard inputs, the
WaveBird features a channel selection dial also found on the receiver and an on/off switch. An orange LED on
the face of the controller indicates when it is powered on. The controller is available in light grey and platinum color
schemes.
Nintendo GameCube
438
Compatibility
A Platinum Nintendo GameCube with a WaveBird controller and
Game Boy Player attachment
The GameCube is unable to play games from other
Nintendo home consoles, but with the Game Boy
Player attachment, it is able to play Game Boy, Game
Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance titles. The
GameCube's successor, the Wii, supports backward
compatibility with GameCube controllers, memory
cards, and games. However, later versions of the Wii
including the "Family Edition" released in 2011 and the
Wii Mini edition released in 2012 dropped support
for all GameCube hardware.
Panasonic Q
Main article: Panasonic Q
A hybrid version of the Nintendo GameCube with a commercial DVD player, called Q, was developed by Panasonic
as part of the deal struck with Nintendo to develop the optical drive for the original GameCube hardware. Featuring
a completely revised case, the Q overcomes the size limitation of the original GameCube's miniDVD tray by adding
a commercial DVD-sized tray, among other hardware revisions. Released exclusively to Japan in December 2001,
low sales resulted in the Q being discontinued in December 2003.
Software library
See also: List of Nintendo GameCube games and Chronology of GameCube games
Over its lifespan, which came to a close in 2007, more than 600 games were released for the GameCube.
Nintendo is traditionally recognized for releasing innovative, first-party game titles, most notably from the Super
Mario and The Legend of Zelda series. These first-party series continued on the GameCube and bolstered the
console's popularity. As a publisher, Nintendo also focused on creating new franchises, such as Pikmin, and
renewing some that skipped the N64 platform, notably the Metroid series with the release of Metroid Prime. The
console also saw success with the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Super Mario
Sunshine, and its best-selling game, Super Smash Bros. Melee. Despite Nintendo's commitment to its software
library, however, it was still criticized by some for not featuring enough game titles during the console's launch
window.
Early on in its history, Nintendo had achieved considerable success with third-party developer support on the
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Competition from the
Sega Genesis and Sony's PlayStation in the 1990s changed the market's landscape, however, and reduced Nintendo's
ability to obtain exclusive, third-party support on the Nintendo 64 (N64). The console's cartridge-based media was
also increasing the cost to manufacture software, as opposed to the cheaper, higher-capacity optical discs used by the
PlayStation.
With the GameCube, Nintendo aimed to reverse the trend as evidenced by the number of third-party titles available
at launch the N64 had none. The new optical disc format introduced with the GameCube increased the capacity
significantly and reduced production costs. For the most part, the strategy worked. High-profile exclusives such as
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader from Factor 5, Resident Evil 4 from Capcom, and Metal Gear Solid:
The Twin Snakes from Konami were very successful. Sega, which focused on third-party development following the
demise of its Dreamcast console, offered a vast amount of support for the GameCube porting old favorites over such
as Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure 2. The company also started new franchises on the GameCube including Super
Nintendo GameCube
439
Monkey Ball. Several third-party developers were even contracted to work on new titles for existing Nintendo
franchises, including Star Fox Assault by Namco and Wario World from Treasure.
Launch games
In Japan
Title(s) Developer(s) Publisher(s)
Luigi's Mansion Nintendo Nintendo
Super Monkey Ball Amusement Vision Sega
Wave Race: Blue Storm Nintendo Software Technology Nintendo
In North America
Title(s) Developer(s) Publisher(s)
All-Star Baseball 2002 Acclaim Entertainment Acclaim Entertainment
Batman: Vengeance Ubisoft Ubisoft
Crazy Taxi Hitmaker Sega
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 Z-Axis Acclaim Entertainment
Disney's Tarzan Untamed Ubisoft Ubisoft
Luigi's Mansion Nintendo Nintendo
Madden NFL 2002 EA Tiburon EA Sports
NHL Hitz 2002 EA Black Box Midway
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader Factor 5 LucasArts
Super Monkey Ball Amusement Vision Sega
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Neversoft Activision
Wave Race: Blue Storm Nintendo Software Technology Nintendo
Online gaming
See also: Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter
According to IGN in 1999, an unnamed source at Nintendo of America stated of the prototype platform which would
become GameCube, "Networkability is at the top of the list for the new console."
August 28, 1999: Theres got to be something Dolphin has with the Internet, because from now on we cant create entertainment
without thinking about network communication. ...there is not a big market right now for Dolphin to involve a significant Internet
business. Nintendo, as an entertainment company has a responsibility to parents and children so that the parents can always feel
secure to provide their children with Nintendo machines, hardware and software. So because of that I dont think network
capabilities will be the core of the Dolphin project.
February 9, 2000: Im very interested in online gaming... So, if it ever came to the stage where we were talking about online gaming,
it would be because we had a new way to approach the idea. It wouldnt just be because everyone else is doing it.
Shigeru Miyamoto, about Dolphin's online strategy
On June 8, 2000, Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi said, "We are planning to introduce an Internet business next
March or April. The first step will be online sales of a brand new type of Pokemon cards."
Nintendo GameCube
440
Networking is featured on the GameCube in a small number of video game titles using a broadband or modem
adapter that attached to a serial port on the console. This feature is supported in Homeland only released in Japan
and the Phantasy Star series. Nintendo made publishers responsible for managing the online experience and for
providing the interface.
Regardless of industry speculation that Nintendo would eventually publish GameCube games with Internet
connectivity, the company never released a first-party title with the feature. However, several games including Mario
Kart: Double Dash, 1080 Avalanche, and Kirby Air Ride feature multiplayer gameplay over a LAN connection.
Third-party projects, such as Warp Pipe and XLink Kai, introduced methods to connect these games over the
Internet. The projects aimed to show game developers a low-cost solution that demonstrated the feasibility of adding
online support.
Reception
The Nintendo GameCube received generally positive reviews following its launch. PC Magazine praised the overall
hardware design and quality of game titles available at launch. CNET gave an average review rating, noting that
while the console lacks a few features offered by its competition, it is relatively inexpensive, has a great controller
design, and launched a decent lineup of games. In later reviews, criticism mounted against the console often
centering around its overall look and feel, describing it as "toy-ish." In the midst of poor sales figures and the
associated financial harm to Nintendo, a Time International article called the GameCube an "unmitigated disaster."
Retrospectively, Joystiq compared the GameCube's launch window to its successor, the Wii, noting that the
GameCube's "lack of games" resulted in a subpar launch, and the console's limited selection of online titles hurt its
market share in the long run. Time International concluded that the system had low sales figures, because it lacked
"technical innovations".
[2]
Sales
Nintendo sold 22 million GameCube units worldwide during its lifespan,
[3]
placing it slightly behind the Xbox's 24
million, and well behind the PlayStation 2's 153 million. The GameCube's predecessor, the Nintendo 64,
outperformed it as well selling nearly 33 million units. The console was able to outsell the short-lived Dreamcast,
however, which only sold 10.6 million units. In September 2009, IGN ranked the GameCube 16th in its list of best
gaming consoles of all time, placing it behind all three of its sixth-generation competitors: the PlayStation 2 (3rd),
the Dreamcast (8th), and the Xbox (11th).
Many of Nintendo's own first-party titles such as Super Smash Bros. Melee and Mario Kart: Double Dash saw
strong sales, though this did not typically benefit third-party developers or directly drive sales of their games. Many
cross-platform games such as sports franchises released by Electronic Arts sold far below their PlayStation 2
and Xbox counterparts, eventually prompting some developers to scale back or completely cease support for the
GameCube. Exceptions include Sega's family friendly Sonic Adventure 2 and Super Monkey Ball, which reportedly
sold more copies on GameCube than most of the company's games on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. After several
years of losing money from developing for Nintendo's console, Eidos Interactive announced in September 2003 that
it would end support for the GameCube, canceling several games that were in development. Later, however, Eidos
resumed development of GameCube titles, releasing hit games such as Lego Star Wars: The Video Game and Tomb
Raider: Legend. In addition, several third-party games originally intended to be GameCube exclusives most
notably Resident Evil 4 were eventually ported to other systems in an attempt to maximize profits following
lackluster sales of the original GameCube versions.
With sales sagging and millions of unsold consoles in stock, Nintendo halted GameCube production for the first nine
months of 2003 to reduce surplus units.
[]
Sales rebounded slightly after a price drop to US$99.99 on September 24,
2003 and the release of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition bundle. A demo disc, the Nintendo GameCube
Preview Disc, was also released in a bundle in 2003.Wikipedia:Citation needed Beginning with this period,
Nintendo GameCube
441
GameCube sales continued to be steady, particularly in Japan,Wikipedia:Citation needed but the GameCube
remained in third place in worldwide sales during the sixth generation era due to weaker sales performance
elsewhere.
Some third-party companies, such as Ubisoft, THQ, Disney Interactive Studios, Humongous Entertainment and EA
Sports, continued to release GameCube games well into 2007. These titles include TMNT, Meet the Robinsons, Surf's
Up, Ratatouille and Madden NFL 08.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Market share
With the GameCube, Nintendo failed to reclaim the market share lost by its predecessor, the Nintendo 64.
Throughout the lifespan of its console generation, GameCube hardware sales remained far behind its direct
competitor the PlayStation 2, and slightly behind Microsoft's Xbox. The console's "family-friendly" appeal and lack
of support from certain third-party developers skewed the GameCube toward a younger market, which was a
minority demographic of the gaming population during the sixth generation. Many third-party games popular with
teenagers or adults, such as the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series and several key first-person shooters, skipped
the GameCube entirely in favor of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
As of June 2003, the GameCube had a 13% market share, tying the Xbox but falling far behind 60% for the
PlayStation 2.
Notes
[1] [1] Requires the use of the Digital AV port, which was removed from later models
[2] [2] McCracken, Harry. "Play Hard. (Cover Story)." Time International (Atlantic Edition) 180.23 (2012): 48-49. Business Source Complete.
[3] http:/ / www. ign. com/ wikis/ history-of-video-game-consoles/ Nintendo_GameCube
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GameCube.
Nintendo GameCube (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ consumer/ systems/ nintendogamecube/ index. jsp) Official
webpage by Nintendo of America
Nintendo GameCube (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080501165134/ http:/ / register. nintendo. com/
systemsgcn) at Nintendo.com ( archived versions (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/
systemsgcn) at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Nintendo GameCube (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/
GameCube) at DMOZ
Nuon
442
Nuon
Nuon
Developer VM Labs
Manufacturer Motorola, Samsung, Toshiba
Release date Late 2000
Discontinued 2003
Nuon was a technology developed by VM Labs that adds features to a DVD player. In addition to viewing DVDs,
one can play 3D video games and use enhanced DVD navigational tools such as zoom and smooth scanning of DVD
playback. One could also play CDs while the Nuon graphics processor generates synchronized graphics on the
screen. There were plans to provide Internet access capability in the next generation of Nuon-equipped DVD players.
Nuon as DVD format
The Nuon platform was primarily marketed as an expanded DVD format. A large majority of Nuon players that were
sold in fact resembled typical consumer DVD players with the only noticeable difference being a Nuon logo. Nuon
players offered a number of features that were not available on other DVD players when playing standard
DVD-formatted titles. These included very smooth forward and reverse functionality and the ability to smoothly
zoom in and out of sections of the video image. In addition, Nuon provided a software platform to DVD authors to
provide interactive software like features to their titles.
Nuon as gaming platform
Nuon originally started off as "Project X," and was featured in Electronic Gaming Monthly's 1999 Video Game
Buyer's Guide. One of the Nuon's main software developers was Jeff Minter, who created a version of Tempest
entitled Tempest 3000 for the system, and the built-in VLM-2 audio visualizer.
Hardware models
A Nuon DVD player made by Samsung
In North America, Nuon was used in the Samsung DVD-N501 and
DVD-N2000 models, they also released several models in other parts
of the world: DVD-N504 (Europe), DVD N505 (Europe), and
DVD-N591 (Korea); a Toshiba SD-2300 DVD player; and two RCA
models, the DRC300N and DRC480N. The Nuon was also used in
Motorola's Streamaster 5000 "Digital DNA" set-top box. However the
format has appeared to have died off. As of November 2004, there are
no Nuon-enabled DVD players shipping and no new Nuon software
titles.
Nuon
443
Peripherals and accessories
Peripherals for Nuon-enhanced DVD players included the following:
Logitech Gamepad
Pro-elite controller
AirPlay wireless controller
Stealth controller
Warrior Digital-D pad
controller extension cable
port replicator to move the Nuon ports to anywhere desired
Sale to Genesis Microchip
NUON was created by VM Labs whose assets were sold to Genesis Microchip in April 2002.
Released movies
Only four DVD releases utilized NUON technology:
Planet of the Apes
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
Bedazzled
Dr. Dolittle 2
Unreleased movies
Galaxy Quest
Stigmata
Toxic Avenger
Released games
Eight games were released for the NUON:
Tempest 3000
Freefall 3050 A.D.
Merlin Racing
Space Invaders X.L.
Iron Soldier 3 (later recalled due to incompatibility with some players)
Ballistic (only available with Samsung players)
The Next Tetris (only available with Toshiba players)
Crayon Shin Chan 3 (Korean-only release)
Nuon
444
Unreleased games
1. 1. aMaze
2. 2. Atari's Greatest Hits
3. 3. Battleship: Surface Thunder
4. 4. Boggle
5. 5. Breakout
6. 6. Bugdom
7. 7. Bust-A-Move 4
8. 8. Dragon's Lair
9. 9. Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
10. 10. The Game of Life
11. 11. Hoyle Card Games
12. 12. Jeopardy
13. 13. Knockout Kings
14. 14. Madden NFL Football
15. 15. Monopoly
16. 16. Myst
17. 17. Native II
18. 18. Need For Speed II
19. 19. New Scrabble
20. 20. Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
21. 21. Pong
22. 22. RC de Go!
23. 23. Risk 2
24. 24. Riven
25. 25. Shanghai: Mahjongg Essentials
26. 26. Sorry!
27. 27. Space Ace
28. 28. Speedball 2100
29. 29. Spider-Man
30. 30. Star Trek: Invasion
31. 31. Tiger Woods PGA Golf
32. 32. Wheel of Fortune
33. 33. Yahtzee
34. 34. zCards
Collections and samplers
Interactive Sampler (three different versions)
NUON Games + Demos (collection from NUON-Dome)
NUON-Dome PhillyClassic 5 Demo Disc (giveaway collection)
Homebrew development
During late 2001, VM Labs released a homebrew SDK which allowed people to be able to program apps/games for
their NUON system. Only the Samsung DVD-N501/DVDN504/DVDN505 and RCA DRC300N/DRC480N can load
homebrew games. The Samsung DVDN-2000 and the Toshiba cannot.Wikipedia:Citation needed The RCA
DRC300N and RCA DRC480N cannot play commercial NUON games.Wikipedia:Citation needed.
Nuon
445
Homebrew releases
Several homebrew titles have been created for or ported to NUON. They are not commercially available and require
the user to burn the material to a NUON-compatible CD-R.
1. 1. Ambient Monsters
2. Atari / C64 Video Game Music Player
3. Atari 800 Emulator
4. Atari 2600 PacMan (hacked version of VLM's Chomp)
5. 5. BOMB
6. 6. Breakout
7. Chomp (sample game included with the second NUON SDK)
8. Decaying Orbit (port of the Yaroze game)
9. Doom (port of the shareware edition)
10. PacMan - Tournament Edition (hacked version of VLM's Chomp)
11. SameGame - Colors
12. 12. SameGame - Shapes
13. 13. Sheshell's Sea Adventure
14. 14. Snake
15. 15. Synth Demo
16. Yaroze Classics (features Katapila, Invs & BreakDown)
References
External links
http:/ / www. nuon-dome. com/
http:/ / www. vmlabs. de/ NUON Alumni Page
http:/ / www. nuon-eternal. 8m. com/
Panasonic M2
446
Panasonic M2
This article is about the game console. For the video tape format, see Panasonic MII.
Panasonic M2
Developer The 3DO Company
Manufacturer Panasonic
Retail availability Cancelled
Media CD-ROM
CPU Dual 66 MHz PowerPC 602
Predecessor 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The Panasonic M2 was a video game console design developed by 3DO and then sold to Matsushita. It was
exhibited and demonstrated at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Before it could be released, however,
Matsushita cancelled the project in mid-1997, unwilling to compete against fellow Japanese electronics giant Sony's
PlayStation and Nintendo's N64, both of which had recently had several top-selling games released for them. The
M2 was cancelled so close to release, marketing had already taken place in the form of flyers, and one of its
prospected launch titles, WARP's D2, had several gameplay screens in circulation (a different game by WARP using
the same name was later released on the Dreamcast).
Development kits and prototypes of the machine became very valuable pieces among collectors. M2's technology
was integrated in the multimedia players FZ-21S and FZ-35S, both released in 1998.Wikipedia:Citation needed Both
products were aimed at professionals working in medicine, architecture and sales, not home users. The M2 also
became a short-lived arcade board by Konami. As games ran straight from the CD-ROM drive, it suffered from long
load times and a high failure rate, so only five games were developed for it.
The M2 was reportedly several times (23) more powerful than the Nintendo 64 in terms of polygon graphics
capabilities and slightly more powerful than the 3Dfx Voodoo Graphics (Voodoo1) accelerator chipset for PC
cards.Wikipedia:Citation needed Matsushita claimed it was almost on par with Sega's Lockheed Martin-designed
Model 3 arcade board.Wikipedia:Citation needed The Model 3 was approximately 10 times more powerful than the
Nintendo 64.Wikipedia:Citation needed In a 1998 interview by Next Generation magazine, WARP's Kenji Eno said
that Sega's Dreamcast was about three to four times more powerful than M2.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The M2 technology was later used in automated teller machines, and in Japan in coffee vending
machines.Wikipedia:Citation needed
In the late 1990s and from 2000 on, the system was also sold in the interactive kiosk market. In 2000, PlanetWeb,
Inc. began offering software to allow the M2 to be used as an Internet appliance.
Panasonic M2
447
Konami arcade games based on M2 hardware
Polystars (1997)
Total Vice (1997)
Battle Tryst (1998)
Evil Night / Hell Night (1998)
Heat of Eleven '98 (1998)
Central processing unit Dual 66MHz PowerPC 602
Implements the 32-bit PowerPC RISC instruction set architecture
PowerPC CPU designed for consumer electronics applications
1.2 watts power usage each
32-bit general purpose registers and ALU
33MHz 64-bit multiplexed address and data bus
4 kiB data and instruction caches (Level 1). No Level 2 cache
1 integer unit, 1 floating point unit, no branch processing unit, 1 load/store unit
SPECint92 rating of 40 each, approximately 70 MIPS each.
1 million transistors manufactured on a 0.50 micrometre CMOS process
Custom ASICs
BDA:
Memory control, system control, and video/graphic control
Full triangle renderer including setup engine, MPEG-1 decoder hardware, DSP for audio and various kinds
of DMA control and port access
Random access of frame buffer and z-buffer (actually w-buffer) possible at the same time
CDE:
Power bus connected to BDA and the two CPUs
"bio-bus" used as a low-speed bus for peripheral hardware
Renderer capabilities:
1 million un-textured triangles/s geometry rate
100 million pixels/s fill rate
reportedly 700,000 textured polygons/s *without* gouraud shading or additional effects
reportedly 300,000 to 500,000 textured polygons/s *with* gouraud shading, lighting and effects
shading: flat shading and gouraud shading
texture mapping
decal, modulation blending, tiling (16k/128k texture buffer built-in)
hardware z-buffer (16-bit) (actually a block floating point with multiple (4) range w-buffer)
object-based full-scene anti-aliasing
alpha channel (4-bit or 7-bit)
320x240 to 640x480 resolution at 24-bit color
Sound hardware 16-bit 32-channel DSP at 66MHz (within BDA chip)
Media Quad-speed CD-ROM drive (600 KB/s)
RAM Unified memory subsystem with 8 MB
64-bit bus resulting in peak 533 MB/s bandwidth
Average access 400 MB/s
Full Motion Video MPEG-1
Panasonic M2
448
Writable Storage Memory cards from 128 KiB to 32 MiB
Expansion Capabilities 1 PCMCIA port (potentially used for Modems, Ethernet NICs, etc.)
References
Further reading
Konami Arcade based on M2 (http:/ / www. system16. com/ hardware. php?id=575) System 16 page on the
Konami arcade board based on M2 technology
"M2: Hit or Myth?". Next Generation magazine, June 1997, p.63.
Noonburg, Derek. PowerPC FAQ (http:/ / www. microprocessor. sscc. ru/ powerpc-faq/ ), February 27, 1997.
External links
Games That Weren't 3DO/M2 (http:/ / gtw3do. retro-net. de) A website about unreleased 3DO M2 games
Panasonic Q
449
Panasonic Q
Q
Top: The Panasonic Q shown with included controller. Above: The back of a Panasonic Q Nintendo GameCube console.
Developer Nintendo
Manufacturer Panasonic
Nintendo
Product family GameCube
DVD player
Release date
JP
December 13, 2001
Discontinued December 18, 2003
Media Nintendo optical disc, DVD, CD
CPU IBM Gekko 485 MHz
Storage Nintendo GameCube Memory Card
Input Remote control
Controller input Nintendo GameCube controller
Related articles Nintendo GameCube
Panasonic Q
450
The Panasonic Q (sometimes known as Q and GameQ) is a hybrid version of the Nintendo GameCube with a DVD
player manufactured by Panasonic in cooperation with Nintendo. The system was officially released only in Japan. A
feature of its main competitors Xbox and PlayStation 2, the GameCube lacked commercial DVD movie playback
functionality due to the use of the Nintendo optical disc format for games and the correspondingly small disc tray.
The Q system was licensed by Nintendo and released on December 13, 2001 and listed at US$439.
Development
Nintendo's uncharacteristic decision to license the gaming technology to Panasonic was a result of a deal brokered
between Matsushita (owners of the Panasonic brand) and Nintendo. When Nintendo signed Matsushita as the
producer of the optical disc drives used by GameCube, an agreement was struck allowing Matsushita to produce a
DVD system with the capability to play GameCube games.
Panasonic and Nintendo announced they were ceasing production of the Q in December 18, 2003 due to low sales.
Hardware and accessories
Other features of the Q include a backlit LCD, a front-loading slot disc tray, an optical sound output supporting
Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS (sound system), a separate subwoofer jack, and a stainless steel chassis.
The Q comes with a grey, Panasonic-branded controller and a remote control. The Q is capable of installing all of the
GameCube hardware upgrades; however, due to the legs on the bottom, it requires a special Panasonic Q Game Boy
Player unit designed specifically for it.
External links
Panasonic Q: Hardware in depth review report by Bordersdown (previously NTSC-uk)
[1]
Panasonic GameCube Q review
[2]
Panasonic Q
[3]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panasonic Q.
References
[1] http:/ / www. bordersdown. net/ content.php?147-Panasonic-Q-Hardware-review
[2] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20050508101443/ http:/ / www. fullyindependent. com/ log/ reviews/ gamecubeq/
[3] http:/ / www. game-machines. com/ consoles/ panasonic-Q. php
PlayStation 2
451
PlayStation 2
"PS2" redirects here. For other uses, see PS2 (disambiguation).
PlayStation 2
Left: Original PlayStation2, with vertical stand
Right: Slimline PlayStation2, with vertical stand, 8MB memory card and DualShock2 controller
Developer Sony
Manufacturer Sony Computer Entertainment
Release date
Discontinued
JP
December 28, 2012
NA
January 4, 2013
EU
January 4, 2013
Units sold 155million (as of March 31, 2012)
Media DVD, CD
CPU
"Emotion Engine" clocked at 294.912MHz (launch), 299MHz (newer models), with 128-bit SIMD capabilities
[1][2]
Memory 32MB of Direct RAMBUS or RDRAM
4MB eDRAM
Storage PlayStation2 memory card 8megabyte
PlayStation memory card (128kilobytes/1megabit)
40GB Hard Drive (add-on)
Display Composite video
S-Video
RGB
SCART
VGA (progressive scan capable software only)
YP
B
P
R
component video/D-Terminal
Graphics "Graphics Synthesizer" clocked at 147.456MHz
Controller input DualShock 2, DualShock, EyeToy
PlayStation 2
452
Connectivity 100Mbit Ethernet/modem (requires adapter on SCPH-10000-500xx models), 2 USB 1.1, 1 IEEE 1394 interface
Online services Dynamic Network Authentication System
Best-selling game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: 20.81 million sold (as of April 2014)
Backward
compatibility
PlayStation
Predecessor PlayStation
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a video game console that was manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is
Sony's second installment in the PlayStation Series. It was released on March 4, 2000, in Japan followed by North
America and Europe later the same year. The sixth-generation console competed with the Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft
Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube.
The PlayStation 2 went on to become the best-selling video game console in history, selling over 155 million units.
More than 3,870 game titles have been released for the PS2 since launch, and more than 1.5 billion copies have been
sold. Sony later manufactured several smaller, lighter revisions of the console known as "slimline" models, and in
2006 introduced the successor, the PlayStation 3.
Even with the PlayStation 3 release, the PlayStation 2 remained popular well into the seventh generation and
continued to be produced until January 4, 2013, when Sony finally announced that the PlayStation 2 had been
discontinued after almost 13 years of production one of the longest runs for a video game console. Despite the
announcement, new games for the console continue to be produced including Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin
for Japan and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 for Occident. Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4 console the following month
on February 20, 2013.
History
Sony announced the PlayStation 2 (PS2) on March 1, 1999. The video game console was positioned as a competitor
to Sega's Dreamcast, the first sixth-generation console to be released. Despite Sony's announcement, the Dreamcast
went on to a very successful North American launch later that year selling over 500,000 units within two weeks.
[3]
Soon after the Dreamcast's North American launch, Sony unveiled the PlayStation 2 at the Tokyo Game Show in
September 1999.
[4]
Sony showed fully playable demos of upcoming PlayStation 2 games including Gran Turismo
2000 (later released as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec) and Tekken Tag Tournament - which showed the console's graphic
abilities and power.
[5]
The PS2 was launched in October 2000 in North America and November in Europe. Sales of the console, games, and
accessories pulled in $250 million on the first day, beating the $97 million made on the first day of the Dreamcast.
[6]
Directly after its release, it was difficult to find PS2 units on retailer shelves due to manufacturing delays. Another
option was purchasing the console online through auction websites such as eBay, where people paid over a thousand
dollars for the console. The PS2 initially sold well partly on the basis of the strength of the PlayStation brand and the
console's backward compatibility, selling over 980,000 units in Japan by March 5, 2000, one day after launch. This
allowed the PS2 to tap the large install base established by the PlayStation another major selling point over the
competition. Later, Sony added new development kits for game developers and more PS2 units for consumers. The
PS2's built-in functionality also expanded its audience beyond the gamer, as its debut pricing was the same or less
than a standalone DVD player. This made the console a low cost entry into the home theater market.
[7]
The success of the PS2 at the end of 2000 caused Sega problems both financially and competitively, and Sega
announced the discontinuation of the Dreamcast in March 2001, just 18 months after its successful launch. The PS2
remained as the only active sixth generation console for over 6 months, before it would face competition from newer
rivals; the Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox, which were then released. Many analysts predicted a close
PlayStation 2
453
three-way matchup among the three consoles; the Xbox having the most powerful hardware, while the GameCube
was least expensive console and Nintendo changed its policy to encourage third-party developers, and while the
PlayStation 2 theoretically had the weakest specs of the three, it had a head start due to its installed base plus strong
developer commitment, as well as a built-in DVD player (the Xbox required an adapter, while the GameCube lacked
support entirely). While the PlayStation 2's initial games lineup was considered mediocre, this changed during the
2001 holiday season with the release of several blockbuster games that maintained the PS2's sales momentum and
held off its newer rivals. Sony also countered the Xbox by temporarily securing PlayStation 2 exclusives for highly
anticipated games such as the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
Sony cut the price of the console in May 2002 from US$299 to $199 in North America,
[8]
making it the same price
as the GameCube and $100 less than the Xbox. It also planned to cut the price in Japan around that time.
[9]
It cut the
price twice in Japan in 2003.
[10]
In 2006, Sony cut the cost of the console in anticipation of the release of the
PlayStation 3.
Sony, unlike Sega with its Dreamcast, originally placed little emphasis on online gaming during its first few years,
although that changed upon the launch of the online-capable Xbox. Coinciding with the release of Xbox Live, Sony
released the PlayStation Network Adapter in late 2002, with several online firstparty titles released alongside it,
such as SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs to demonstrate its active support for Internet play.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Sony also advertised heavily, and its online model had the support of Electronic Arts (EA); EA did not offer online
Xbox titles until 2004. Although Sony and Nintendo both started out late, and although both followed a decentralized
model of online gaming where the responsibility is up to the developer to provide the servers, Sony's moves made
online gaming a major selling point of the PS2.
In September 2004, in time for the launch of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Sony revealed a newer, slimmer PS2
(see Hardware revisions). In preparation for the launch of the new models (SCPH-700xx-9000x), Sony stopped
making the older models (SCPH-3000x-500xx) to let the distribution channel empty its stock of the
units.Wikipedia:Citation needed After an apparent manufacturing issueSony reportedly underestimated
demandcaused some initial slowdown in producing the new unit caused in part by shortages between the time the
old units were cleared out and the new units were ready. The issue was compounded in Britain when a Russian oil
tanker became stuck in the Suez Canal, blocking a ship from China carrying PS2s bound for the UK. During one
week in November, British sales totalled 6,000 units compared to 70,000 units a few weeks prior. There were
shortages in more than 1700 stores in North America on the day before Christmas.
Hardware
Main article: PlayStation 2 hardware
PlayStation 2 software is distributed on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. In addition the console can play audio CDs and
DVD movies, and is backwardly compatible with PlayStation games. The PS2 also supports PlayStation memory
cards and controllers, although PS1 memory cards only work with PS1 games and the controllers may not support all
functions (such as analog buttons) for PS2 games.
The standard PlayStation 2 memory card has an 8MB capacity. There are a variety of non-Sony manufactured
memory cards available for the PlayStation2, allowing for a memory capacity larger than the standard 8MB.
The console also features USB and IEEE 1394 expansion ports. A hard disk drive can be installed in an expansion
bay on the back of the console, and is required to play certain games, notably the popular Final Fantasy XI. This is
only available on certain models.
PlayStation 2
454
The PlayStation 2 may natively output video resolutions on SDTV and HDTV from 480i to 480p while other games,
such as Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy are known to support upscaled 1080i resolution using any of the
following standards: composite video(480i), S-Video(480i), RGB(480i/p, VGA (for progressive scan games and PS2
Linux only), YP
B
P
R
component video (which display most PS1 games in their native 240p mode which most HDTV
sets don't support), and D-Terminal. Cables are available for all of these signal types; these cables also output analog
stereo audio. Additionally, an RF modulator is available for the system to connect to older TVs.
Digital (S/PDIF) audio may also be output by the console via its TOSLINK connector which outputs 5.1ch Sound.
Retail configurations
Main article: PlayStation 2 retail configurations
The PS2's controller, the DualShock 2, had the same
form factor as the PlayStation DualShock.
The PS2 has undergone many revisions, some only of internal
construction and others involving substantial external changes.
The PS2 is primarily differentiated between models featuring the
original "fat" case design and "slimline" models, which were
introduced at the end of 2004. In 2010, a television incorporating
a PS2 was made available to consumers.
The PS2 standard color is matte black. Several variations in color
were produced in different quantities and regions, including
ceramic white, light yellow, metallic blue (aqua), metallic silver,
navy (star blue), opaque blue (astral blue), opaque black
(midnight black), pearl white, Sakura purple, satin gold, satin
silver, snow white, super red, transparent blue (ocean blue), and
also Limited Edition color Pink, which was distributed in some
regions such as Oceania, and parts of Asia.
[11]
In September 2004, Sony unveiled its third major hardware revision. Available in late October 2004, it was smaller,
thinner, and quieter than the original versions and included a built-in Ethernet port (in some markets it also had an
integrated modem). Due to its thinner profile, it did not contain the 3.5" expansion bay and therefore did not support
the internal hard disk drive. It also lacked an internal power supply, similar to the GameCube, and had a modified
Multitap expansion. The removal of the expansion bay was criticized as a limitation due to the existence of titles
such as Final Fantasy XI, which required the use of the HDD.
Sony also manufactured a consumer device called the PSX that can be used as a digital video recorder and DVD
burner in addition to playing PS2 games. The device was released in Japan on December 13, 2003, and was the first
Sony product to include the XrossMediaBar interface. It did not sell well in the Japanese market and was not
released anywhere else.
PlayStation 2
455
Disc Read Error (DRE) lawsuit
A class action lawsuit was filed against Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. on July 16, 2002, in the
Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. The lawsuit addresses consumer reports of inappropriate "no
disc error" (disc read error) messages and other problems associated with playing DVDs and CDs on the PlayStation
2.
Sony settled its "disc read error" lawsuit by compensating the affected gamers with USD $25, a free game from a
specified list, and the reduced cost repair or replacement (at SCEA's discretion) of the damaged system. This
settlement was subject to the courts' approval, and hearings began in the US and Canada on April 28, 2006, and May
11, 2006, respectively.
[12]
Games
See also: List of PlayStation 2 games, List of best-selling PlayStation 2 video games, List of PlayStation games
incompatible with PlayStation 2, List of PlayStation 2 CD-ROM games, List of PlayStation 2 DVD-9 games and List
of PlayStation 2 games with HD support
PlayStation 2 software is distributed on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. The PlayStation 2 offered some particularly high
profile exclusive games. Most main entries in the Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear Solid series
were released exclusively for the console. Several series got their start on the PlayStation 2, including God of War,
Ratchet & Clank, Jak and Daxter, Devil May Cry, and Kingdom Hearts. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was the
best-selling game on the console.
Game releases peaked in 2004, but declined with the release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006. The last new game for the
console in Japan is Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin and in North America and Europe is Pro Evolution Soccer
2014.
Online functionality
Main article: PlayStation 2 online functionality
See also: List of PlayStation 2 online games
PlayStation 2 users have the option to play select games over the Internet, using a broadband Internet connection and
a PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor. Instead of having a unified, subscription-based online service like Xbox Live as
competitor Microsoft had chosen for its Xbox console, online multiplayer functionality on the PlayStation 2 is the
responsibility of the game publisher and is run on third-party servers. Most recentWikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates
and numbers#Chronological items PlayStation 2 online games have been developed to exclusively support
broadband internet access. Xbox Live similarly requires a broadband Internet connection. The servers for many
games have been shut down.
[13]
Reception
Sales
Main article: PlayStation 2 sales
The PlayStation 2 has sold over 155 million units worldwide as of March 31, 2012. In Europe, it has sold 48 million
units as of May 6, 2008 according to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, while in North America, it has sold 50
million units as of December 2008. In Japan, the PS2 has sold 21,454,325 units as of October 1, 2008, according to
Famitsu/Enterbrain. In 2005, the PlayStation 2 became the fastest game console to reach 100 million units shipped,
accomplishing the feat within 5 years and 9 months from its launch.
PlayStation 2
456
Accessories
Main article: PlayStation 2 accessories
The EyeToy a motion detecting camera
The PlayStation 2's DualShock 2 controller is largely identical to
the PlayStation's DualShock, with the same basic functionality.
However, it includes analog pressure sensitivity on the face,
shoulder and D-pad buttons, replacing the digital buttons of the
original. Like its predecessor, the DualShock 2 controller has force
feedback, or "vibration" functionality. It is lighter and includes
two more levels of vibration.
The PlayStation 2 DVD remote control
General
The PlayStation 2 Memory card
Optional hardware includes DualShock or DualShock 2 controllers, a
PS2 DVD remote control, an internal or external hard disk drive
(HDD), a network adapter, horizontal and vertical stands, PlayStation
or PS2 memory cards, the multitap for PlayStation or PS2, a USB
motion camera (EyeToy), a USB keyboard and mouse, and a headset.
The original PS2 multitap cannot be plugged into the newer slim
models, as the multitap connects to the memory card slot as well as the
controller slot and the memory card slot on the slimline is shallower.
New slim-design multitaps are manufactured for these models,
however third-party adapters also exist to permit original multitaps to
be used.
Early versions of the PS2 could be networked via an i.LINK port, though this had little game support and was
dropped. Some third party manufacturers have created devices that allow disabled people to access the PS2 through
ordinary switches etc.
Some third-party companies, such as JoyTech, have produced LCD monitor and speaker attachments for the PS2,
which attach to the back of the console. These allow users to play games without access to a television as long as
PlayStation 2
457
there is access to mains electricity or a similar power source. These screens can fold down onto the PS2 in a similar
fashion to laptop screens.
Music
Singstar microphones
There are many accessories for musical games, such as dance pads for Dance Dance
Revolution, In the Groove, and Pump It Up titles, Konami microphones for use with the
Karaoke Revolution games, dual microphones (sold with and used exclusively for
SingStar games), various "guitar" controllers (for the Guitar Freaks series and Guitar
Hero series), the drum set controller (sold in a box set (or by itself) with a "guitar"
controller and a USB microphone (for use with Rock Band and Guitar Hero series,
World Tour and newer), and a taiko drum controller for Taiko: Drum Master.
Controllers
Specialized controllers include light guns (GunCon), fishing rod and reel controllers, a Dragon Quest VIII "slime"
controller, a Final Fantasy X-2 "Tiny Bee" dual pistol controller, an Onimusha 3 katana controller, and a Resident
Evil 4 chainsaw controller.
Mouse
Unlike the PlayStation, which requires the use of an official Sony PlayStation Mouse to play mouse-compatible
games, the few PS2 games with mouse support work with a standard USB mouse as well as a USB Trackball.
Homebrew development
Main article: PlayStation 2 homebrew
Using homebrew programs, it is possible to play various audio and video file formats on a PS2. Homebrew programs
can also be used to play patched backups of original PS2 DVD games on unmodified consoles, and to install retail
discs to an installed hard drive on older models. Homebrew emulators of older computer and gaming systems have
been developed for the PS2.
[14]
Sony released a Linux-based operating system for the PS2 in a package that also includes a keyboard, mouse,
Ethernet adapter and HDD. In Europe and Australia, the PS2 comes with a free Yabasic interpreter on the bundled
demo disc. This allows users to create simple programs for the PS2. A port of the NetBSD project and BlackRhino
GNU/Linux, an alternative Debian-based distribution, are also available for the PS2.
References
[1] John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson. "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach, Third Edition". ISBN 1-55860-724-2
[2] Keith Diefendorff. "Sony's Emotionally Charged Chip". Microprocessor Report, Volume 13, Number 5, April 19, 1999. Microdesign
Resources.
[3] A look back at the Sega Dreamcast (http:/ / blogcritics. org/ a-look-back-at-the-sega/ )
[4] TGS 1999: Sony's grand showing (http:/ / uk.ign. com/ articles/ 1999/ 09/ 21/ tgs-1999-sonys-grand-showing)
[5] History of PS2 (http:/ / www2.milwaukee. k12. wi.us/ roosevelt/ hmpg/ webfair/ moderngaming/ PS2history. html)
[6] Sony Pulls in Over $250 Million at Launch (http:/ / www. ign. com/ articles/ 2000/ 11/ 07/ sony-pulls-in-over-250-million-at-launch). IGN.
[7] What Ever Happened To The Dreamcast? (http:/ / www. technobuffalo. com/ gaming/ what-ever-happened-to-the-dreamcast/ ).
TechnoBuffalo. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[8] [8] Gaither, Chris. "Sony to Cut PlayStation 2 Price by $100." New York Times: 0. May 14, 2002. ProQuest. Web. 29 July 2013.
[9] [9] "Sony to Cut Price of PlayStation 2 in Japan Market --- Move Follows Plan to Lower Cost of Product in U.S. by a Third." Asian Wall Street
Journal: 0. May 15, 2002. ProQuest. Web. 29 July 2013.
PlayStation 2
458
[10] [10] "Sony to Cut Price of PlayStation 2 Game Console by 20 Percent." Knight Ridder Tribune Business News: 1. Nov 04 2003. ProQuest. Web.
29 July 2013.
[11] A list of all console colors and console Limited Editions (http:/ / www. consolecolors. com/ sony. html). Consolecolors.com
[12] Sony Settles PS2 "Disc Read Error" Class Action (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=7139) Gamasutra,
November 10, 2005
[13] List of PS2 multiplayer games with servers both running and terminated. (http:/ / playstation2. onlineconsoles. com/ phpBB2/
content_gameslist.php)
[14] PS2 Emulators http:/ / www. sksapps.com/ index.php?page=emus. html
SwanCrystal
459
SwanCrystal
WonderSwan

Top: WonderSwan
Middle: WonderSwan Color
Bottom: SwanCrystal
Manufacturer Bandai
Type Fifth generation handheld game console
Retail availability
WonderSwan:
JP
March 4, 1999
WonderSwan Color:
JP
December 9, 2000
SwanCrystal:
JP
July 12, 2002
Introductory price JP4,800 (WonderSwan)
JP6,800 (WonderSwan Color)
JP7,800 (SwanCrystal)
Discontinued 2003
Units sold 3.50 million (combined)
1.55 million (WonderSwan)
1.1 million (WonderSwan Color)
Related articles Tamagotchi, Digimon virtual pet
The WonderSwan ( WandSuwanHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) is a handheld
game console released in Japan by Bandai. It was developed by Gunpei Yokoi's company Koto Laboratory and
Bandai. Released in 1999 in the fifth generation of video game consoles, the WonderSwan and its two later models,
the WonderSwan Color and SwanCrystal were officially supported until being discontinued by Bandai in 2003.
During its lifespan, no variation of the WonderSwan was released outside of Japan.
Powered by a 16-bit central processing unit, the WonderSwan took advantage of a low price point and long battery
life in comparison to its competition, Nintendo's Game Boy Color and SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color. Later
improvements took advantage of quality upgrades to the handheld's screen and added color. The WonderSwan is
playable both vertically and horizontally, and features a unique library of games, including numerous first-party titles
based on licensed anime properties, as well as significant third-party support from Square, Namco, and Taito.
SwanCrystal
460
Overall, the WonderSwan in all its variations combined to sell an estimated 3.5 million units and managed to obtain
as much as 8% of the Japanese handheld video game console market before being marginalized by Nintendo's Game
Boy Advance. Retrospective feedback praises the potential of the WonderSwan despite its low sales and its brief
time holding its own against Nintendo in the marketplace.
History
Founded in 1950 by Naoharu Yamashina, Bandai was originally a manufacturer of toy cars and plastic models, but
became a major player in the toy industry through the licensing of popular anime characters beginning with
Tetsuwan Atomu in 1963. In the 1970s, Bandai manufactured both LCD games based on television programs and
dedicated consoles. In 1982, the company released the Intellivision in Japan, and in 1985 it became one of the first
third-party licensees on the Nintendo Famicom. The company's greatest success in electronic games, however, was
the Tamagotchi virtual pet first released in 1996. Despite plans for Bandai to merge with Sega to form Sega Bandai
Ltd. in 1997, the merger was called off suddenly. Bandai's board of directors decided to oppose the merger less than
a week after approving it, and Sega in turn decided to accept Bandai's actions at an emergency board meeting later
that day. Bandai president Makoto Yamashina took responsibility for failing to gain the support of his company for
the merger. As a result, Bandai entered the market without outside support.
Engineer Gunpei Yokoi was known for creating the Game Boy handheld system at Nintendo. After the failure of the
Virtual Boy, however, he left the company in 1996 in order to create his own engineering firm, Koto Laboratory. It
was then that Bandai approached Yokoi to create the WonderSwan to compete with the Game Boy. Yokoi was
involved in development of the new handheld, but passed away in 1997 in a car accident before it was released.
The WonderSwan was officially unveiled in Tokyo on October 8, 1998. Bandai chose the name of the system to
highlight its aesthetics and technical capabilities because the swan is recognized as an elegant bird with powerful
legs to help it swim. The company promised a 30-hour battery life, a low retail price, and a launch lineup of roughly
fifty games.
The WonderWave accessory is an infrared
communicator that could transfer data between
two WonderSwans. It is also compatible with the
Sony PocketStation for select Bandai games.
The WonderSwan launched on March 4, 1999 and was available in
nine casing colors: Pearl White, Skeleton Green, Silver Metallic,
Skeleton Red, Blue Metallic, Skeleton Blue, Skeleton Black,
Camouage, and Gold. Three limited edition two-tone models were
also released in Frozen Mint, Sherbet Melon and Soda Blue. These
colors were chosen through an online poll at Bandais website, with the
metallic models and Pearl White discontinued on 22 July to make room
for the special tone models. Despite Nintendo's release of the Game
Boy Color five months before, Bandai remained confident that the
WonderSwan and its monochromatic screen would perform well
because the original black-and-white Game Boy had previously been more successful than its color-screen
competitors, the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx, on the basis of its battery life and the quality of its game library.
With a retail price JP4,800, the WonderSwan was also cheaper than its competition. In 2000, Bandai signed an
agreement with Mattel to bring the handheld to North America, but ultimately decided against a Western release.
The exact reason for this is unknown, but the crowded handheld video game console market has been suggested as a
factor.
Later that year, Bandai announced the WonderSwan Color ( WandSuwan
KarHelp:Installing Japanese character sets) which would incorporate a color screen while retaining backward
compatibility with the original WonderSwan. It was released on December 9, 2000 in Japan and was available in
Pearl Blue, Pearl Pink, Crystal Black, Crystal Blue, and Crystal Orange. The launch was a moderate success, with
the system selling 270,632 units in under a month after its release. Before the WonderSwan Color could be released,
however, Nintendo announced the Game Boy Advance, which featured superior hardware. The WonderSwan Color
SwanCrystal
461
still retailed at a lower price point at 6,800 compared to the Advance at 9,800, but despite peaking at 8% of the
handheld market share in Japan, the WonderSwan's sales never recovered after the Game Boy Advance reached store
shelves in March 2001.
A redesign of the WonderSwan Color, titled SwanCrystal (
SuwanKurisutaruHelp:Installing Japanese character sets), was released in Japan on July 12, 2002 for 7,800, 1,000
less than the Game Boy Advance. Once again, Bandai held a poll on its website to determine casing colors and
released the system in Blue Violet, Wine Red, Crystal Blue, and Crystal Black. Despite its low price and an
improved LCD screen, the SwanCrystal was unable to compete, so Bandai announced the discontinuation of the
WonderSwan line in 2003 due to low demand and backed out of producing video game hardware altogether. In all,
the handheld sold 3.5 million units, of which 1.55 million were of the original WonderSwan and at least 1.1 million
were of the WonderSwan Color.
All WonderSwan models are powered by a single
AA battery.
The main CPU of the WonderSwan is a 16-bit NEC V20. The original
model's screen is capable of displaying up to eight shades of gray, in
contrast to the four displayed by the WonderSwan's main competitor,
the Game Boy. Similar to the Atari Lynx, the handheld has an extra set
of buttons allowing the console to be played at different angles; for the
WonderSwan, these buttons were used to allow gamers to play games
in both portrait and landscape orientations. The WonderSwan series are
all powered by a single AA battery, with the original monochrome
version having a battery life of 40 hours. Also included in the handheld
was built-in memory allowing players to save games without using
passwords. Its LCD screen is 2.49 inches (6.3cm) and displays at a
resolution of 224 x 144. Its sound capabilities consist of four PCM
channels, each of which can play 32-sample, 4-bit sounds at selectable volume and pitch levels.
Several features and accessories were developed for the WonderSwan. The WonderWitch was an official software
development kit aimed at amateur programmers that was released by Qute Corporation. It sold at a cost of 11,800
and allows for games to be developed in the C programming language. An adapter was created to connect
headphones to the handheld, as the WonderSwan lacks a headphone port. A remote-controlled robot known as the
WonderBorg can be operated through the unit. In addition, the handheld can be connected to a PlayStation 2 through
a function known as the WonderWave, although this functionality was rarely exploited. The WonderSwan and its
later models were also capable of connecting to the Internet via a mobile phone network.
The physical measurements of the WonderSwan Color are 12.8 by 7.43 by 24.3 centimetres (5.04 2.93 9.57in),
slightly larger than the original WonderSwan, and it weighs 3.38 ounces (96g). Its CPU is a 3.072MHz NEC V20,
and it includes 512 kB of video RAM. The screen on the WonderSwan Color can display up to 241 colors out of a
palette of 4096, and up to 28 sprites per line. It offers backward compatibility with all previous WonderSwan titles.
Its LCD screen is also larger than that of the original WonderSwan, measuring 2.9 inches (7.4cm). The SwanCrystal
improves upon the design of the WonderSwan Color through the use of a TFT LCD monitor, which has a superior
response time to the FSTN monitor used in the former system. This helped to reduce motion blur in the handheld's
graphics. The unit's case was also redesigned to be more durable. Its approximate battery life is 15 hours.
SwanCrystal
462
Game library
Main articles: List of WonderSwan games and List of WonderSwan Color games
A screenshot of Gunpey for the original
WonderSwan. Gunpey was named for
Gunpei Yokoi, developer of the system.
Koto Laboratories claims that the WonderSwan sold 10 million game
cartridges in all. In developing games for the WonderSwan, Bandai
leveraged the assistance of several developers. Banprestopart-owned by
Bandai at the timeadded support by way of anime licenses and licensed
titles, while Namco and Capcom also developed titles for the handheld.
Squaresoft contributed remakes of Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, and
Final Fantasy IV which later also came to the Game Boy Advance. Taito
contributed well-received ports such as Space Invaders and Densha de Go!.
Bandai augmented these releases with titles of its own, including exclusive
titles in the Digimon and Gundam franchises. To compete with Tetris,
Gunpei Yokoi developed a puzzle game for the system ultimately named
Gunpey in his honor. A sequel known as Gunpey EX was a launch title for
the WonderSwan Color. Certain games produced through the WonderWitch
kit, such as Judgment Silversword, have also been noted as excellent titles.
Support for the WonderSwan has been considered underwhelming. Although
some well known third-party developers supported the console, most
publishers continued to exclusively support Nintendo's handhelds. The
departure of Squaresoft as a developer and its return to Nintendo has been
cited as a factor in the WonderSwan's diminishing sales in later years. After the discontinuation of the WonderSwan
in 2003, several developers ported WonderSwan games to the Game Boy Advance.
Reception
Selling 3.5 million units, the WonderSwan only picked up 8% of the marketshare in Japan and was ultimately
outperformed by Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. Due to its brightly colored screen and deep game library, the Game
Boy Advance ensured Nintendo would have a near-monopoly on the handheld console market in Japan until the
release of the PlayStation Portable by Sony in 2004.
Retrospective feedback to the handheld praises its accomplishments, but defines it as a "niche" handheld that appeals
to only certain gamers. Jeremy Parish considers the WonderSwan the ultimate expression of Gunpei Yokoi's design
philosophy and notes its modest impact on the market, but blames Bandai for its lack of success, stating, "While
WonderSwan ultimately will be remembered as a highly localized blip in the history of handheld games, as a
platform it genuinely held its own... the system's obscurity resulted more from poor timing and Bandai's strangely
meek strategy, not from any inherent flaws in the design of the machine itself." Parish also goes on to hypothesize on
the lack of a WonderSwan release in North America, stating, "given how hard it was to find Neo Geo Pocket systems
and games at U.S. retail, it's hard to imagine they were clamoring for yet another niche portable from Japan." Luke
Plunkett from Kotaku praised the WonderSwan's challenge to Nintendo, stating, "[I]t tried some pretty unique and
interesting things, and put up a much sterner fight than most other handhelds ever managed" Retro Gamer's Kim
Wild criticizes some aspects of the handheld, including its lack of a headphone and AC port, as well as its poor
control scheme for left-handed individuals and inability to play multiplayer link games with the headphone adapter
connected. Wild offers some praise for the handheld, however, stating "what [Bandai] managed with the
WonderSwan was impressive given the competition. The low price even today makes it more than worthy of
consideration."
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463
References
Tapwave Zodiac
Tapwave Zodiac
The Zodiac, in aluminum case
Manufacturer Tapwave
Type Handheld game console/PDA
Release date October 2003
Discontinued July 2005
Operating system Palm OS
CPU 200 MHz Motorola i.MX1 ARM9 processor
Storage 32 MB (Zodiac 1)
128 MB (Zodiac 2)
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Infrared, Bluetooth, USB 2.0
Best-selling game Warfare Incorporated
The Zodiac is a PDA, handheld game console and mobile entertainment device, launched on May 5, 2003, and
released in October 2003 by Tapwave, a former private company that was based in Mountain View, California.
[1]
The product was designed to be a "high performance mobile entertainment system centered on games, music,
images, and video, aimed at 18 to 34 year old gamers and technology enthusiasts. By running an enhanced version of
the Palm Operating System (5.2T), Zodiac also provided access to Palms personal information management
software and many other applications from the Palm developer community.
With fewer than 200,000 units sold, the Zodiac is the third worst selling handheld console, after the Gizmondo and
the R-Zone.Wikipedia:Citation needed This was primarily due to a lack of third-party developer support meaning a
small game library, and subsequently strong pressure from the PlayStation Portable (PSP) from Sony, released two
months after the Zodiac 1, and the DS from Nintendo, released approximately a year later.
Tapwave was forced into bankruptcy on July 25, 2005, and as a result the Zodiac was discontinued.
[2]
It sold all its
assets before liquidating on July 31.
[3]
Tapwave Zodiac
464
History of Tapwave
May 2001: Tapwave was founded by former Palm executives
May 2002: Tapwave closed initial Series-A funding
May 2002: Tapwave signed Palm OS licensing agreement with PalmSource
May 2003: Company was formally launched at Palm Developers Conference & E3
September 2003: Zodiac entertainment console launched at DEMO conference
October 2003: Zodiac console began shipping to customers directly from livescribe.com
November 2003: Tapwave announced that over 1200 game developers signed up for the Tapwave developer
program
February 2004: PalmGear and Tapwave announced partnership to launch an online store to feature the best
applications, game titles and ebooks available on the Palm OS platform
April 2004: Synchronization between Zodiac and Mac OS X desktops enabled by MarkSpace
June 2004: Zodiac launched into United States. retail distribution with CompUSA
October 2004: Zodiac launched in United Kingdom and sold through PC World, Dixons and Currys.
October 2004: Zodiac launched in Singapore and distributed by ECS
November 2004: Zodiac launched in South Korea and co-branded with Sonokong (OEM)
December 2004: Audible announces audio book support for Zodiac
December 2004: Tapwave announce Wi-Fi SD card for the Zodiac with enhanced mail application and web
browser.
January 2005: Tapwave and Virgin Digital announced strategic alliance for audio download and subscription
services.
July 2005: Due to weak sales and strong competitive pressures, Tapwave discontinues the sale of the Zodiac
mobile entertainment console
[4]
and sold substantially all of its assets to an undisclosed multi-billion dollar
corporation in Asia and wound down operations.
Primary features
Music, images, and video
An MP3 music player is included in the system's applications, and allows the creation of custom playlists using
drag-and-dropping of files. MP3 music files can be played from either SD slot, or the internal memory of the device.
MP3 files can also be used as alarms, along with conventional Palm OS alarms.
Photos (JPEG or PNG format) could be downloaded to the device using the Palm Desktop software or loaded onto
SD cards, and could be shared and made into a slideshow (with background music) on the device.
The bundled video player on the device, Kinoma, would only play videos in a proprietary format, converted using
the Kinoma Producer software (which supported conversion of MPEG1, MPEG4, QuickTime, AVI and DivX). The
software however was limited in its conversion abilities, enticing users to pay for the full versionWikipedia:Citation
needed. It has been suggestedWikipedia:Citation needed that this difficulty in converting video for the device
diminished the Zodiac's success. Several aftermarket DivX and XviD players have been developed (such as the
TCPMP), and, at the time of bankruptcy, Tapwave were working on an update to supply MPEG-4 hardware
decodingWikipedia:Citation needed.
Device design
Due to the metal construction of the Zodiac, the device was seen to be more solid than other PDAs. However, on
some models the adhesive on the shoulder buttons failed, and occasionally the screen was scratched by the screen
cover when grit enteredWikipedia:Citation needed. Furthermore, due to the insecure clip holding the stylus, they
could be knocked loose and potentially lost. Some alternative cases solved this problem with their own stylus holder.
Compatibility
Tapwave Zodiac
465
The Zodiac is a Palm OS 5-compatible device, and most software compatible with Palm OS 5 runs without issue. In
particular, most Palm OS 5-compatible games play on the Zodiac. Tapwave also provided proprietary APIs to allow
developers to take advantage of the Zodiac's graphics and sound hardware. A great deal of freeware and shareware
games and emulators are therefore available. For example, there are versions of Doom, Quake, Hexen, Hexen II, and
Heretic as well as versions of emulators such as UAE, ScummVM, and LJZ/LJP, a multi-system emulator. There
have also been attempts to emulate PlayStation games onto the Zodiac, the most successful emulator being PPSX.
[5]
It is, however, nowhere near completion and many games are not playable yet.
Battery
The device has a total battery life of about 3 hours when using video, backlight+screen and CPU-intensive tasks, and
while running as a dedicated audio player it is closer to 6 hours. The original battery was a 1500mAh Li-Ion; third
party replacements with 2000mAh capacity are still available from some manufacturers.
Software
The Zodiac used a modified version of the Palm OS, designated version 5.2T. The main navigation menus consisted
of 8 radially-arranged choices selected using either the touchscreen or thumbstick. It also came with the Palm OS
Productivity Suite (containing a calendar, to do list etc.), an eBook reader, the Wordsmith word processor and the
powerOne graphing application. It came bundled with two games, AcidSolitare (by Red Mercury) and Stunt Car
Extreme (by Vasara Games).
Models
The Zodiac console was initially available in two models, Zodiac 1 (32MB), and Zodiac 2 (128MB). The Zodiac 2
was $100 more expensive than the original Zodiac.
Zodiac games
Games which utilized some or all of the Zodiac's hardware/software are incompatible with standard Palm OS
devices. This does exclude platforms outside of Palm OS (e.g., Doom II is also out for PC, but the Zodiac version
listed here won't run on standard Palm OS handhelds). This list also excludes standard Palm OS games which are
also available for Zodiac handhelds, which were either identical or slightly improved on Zodiac, called "Zodiac
tuned" (e.g. a game available for standard Palm OS only has the extra features of vibration and shoulder buttons as
extra usable buttons when played on Zodiac).
Some of the games were never released due to the discontinuation of the Zodiac in July 2005. However, the testing
builds of some of these games were leaked and are playable.
Zodiac exclusive titles
Animated Dudes
Avalanche
Firefly: Pacman clone
Gloop Zero by AeonFlame: (was shareware, but is now freeware) puzzle game where you direct the flow of liquid
slime material to its goal by drawing platform lines and using other tools.
Orbz (was shareware, but is now freeware as of September 2006)
StarPong
Stunt Car Extreme: 3D, 1st-person or 3rd-person racing game. Comes with the Zodiac CD.
Xploids
Zodiac exclusive titles, also available on SD card
Doom II
Duke Nukem Mobile
GTS Racing Challenge
Spy Hunter
Tapwave Zodiac
466
Tiger Team: Apache vs Hind
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
Z Pak: Adventure
Z Pak: Fun
"Zodiac tuned" titles
Madden NFL 2005 (CD-ROM; uploaded from PC)
Warfare Incorporated
Unreleased but leaked games
Street Hoops, tech demo
MTX: Mototrax, complete
Hockey Rage 2004, complete, but crash on exit
Neverwinter Nights, tech demo
Terminator 3:
[6]
Complete game, few sound elements missing.
Tomb Raider, complete original first and second game
Ports
Several homebrew (freeware) games were released on ports.
ZDoomZ, a ZDoom port to Palm/Zodiac
ZHeretic, a Heretic port to Palm/Zodiac
ZHexen, a Hexen port to Palm/Zodiac
ZHexen2, Hexen II port to Palm/Zodiac
LJP, a multisystem emulator for Palm/Zodiac
LJZ, the old version of LJP, discontinued.
pPSX, Emulates psx games at limited speed without soundb. Low compatibility. Incomplete.
ReverZi, an Othello/Reversi clone for Zodiac
ZodMAME, a MAME port to the Zodiac
ZodNEO, a NeoGeo port to the Zodiac
ZodSCUMM, ScummVM port to the Zodiac
ZSpectrum, a ZX Spectrum port to the Zodiac
REminiscence, a Zodiac port of Flashback
Thruster, a fast-paced cave flyer.
Noiz2sa
Orbital Sniper, Look down from high above and shoot hostiles in a city grid layout while protecting innocent
lives. (Freeware)
Zodtris, Zodiac only version of Tetris. (Freeware)
Zap 'Em, a close conversion of Zoop for PC (Freeware)
ZoT
Zyrian
Another World
ZodTTD, an OpenTTD port to the Zodiac
Tapwave Zodiac
467
Hardware Specifications
Two versions of the Zodiac are available, differing only in the amount of memory and case colour
CPU: Motorola i.MX1 ARM9 processor (200MHz)
Memory: Zodiac 1 had 32MB. Zodiac 2 had 128MB. Both have 10MB Dedicated to the System Dynamic RAM
Graphic Accelerator: ATI Imageon W4200 2D graphics accelerator (with 8MB dedicated SDRAM)
Controls: Analog controller (or joystick) with 360 degrees of motion, built-in triggers and action button array
similar to other gaming consoles.
Display: 3.8inch transflective 480320 (half VGA), 16-bit colour backlit display (65,536 colours)
Sound: Yamaha sound and stereo speakers, 3.5mm earphone plug
External Connectors: 2 expansion slots (both are MMC / SD capable, one is also SDIO capable), Zodiac
Connector, 3.5mm headphone jack
Wireless: Infrared, Bluetooth (Compatible with some Wifi SDIO cards depending on drivers)
Battery: Rechargeable Lithium Batteries Dual totaling to 1540 mAh
Size and Weight: 5.63.10.55in (1427914mm), 6.3oz (180g)
Compare to the Palm TX which is smaller at 7815121mm due to fewer buttons, but includes WiFi
Colors: Zodiac 1: Slate Gray, Zodiac 2: Charcoal Gray
Casing: Synthetic rubber, anodized aluminum, plastic
Peripherals and accessories
5V regulated DC switch mode battery charger, using proprietary connector.
USB PC synchronization cable, incorporating pass-through female charger connector (allowing charging from
mains while synchronizing)
Car battery charger
Cradle Attachment for sync cable (poorly designed, unreliable electrical contacts)
Folding Keyboard (some 3rd party Bluetooth & IR models, unknown whether dedicated keyboard capable of
using sync cable connector existed)
Some SDIO Cameras can be used such as the Veo Camera.
Industry Awards
The Zodiac received a number of noteworthy industry awards. Some of these include:
Popular Science - BOWN Award
Stuff Magazine (UK) - Top 10 Gadgets of the Year
Wired Magazine - Fetish Award
CNET - Editor's Choice Award
PC World - 2004 Next Gear Innovations Award
PC World - Editors Pick
Consumer Digest - Best Buy Award
Laptop Magazine - Hot Pick
PC Magazine - 1st Place Last Gadget Standing
Handheld Computing - Most Innovative PDA
Business Week - Best Products of 2003
Business Week - 2004 Design Excellence Award
Time Magazine Best Gear 2003
Tapwave Zodiac
468
References
[1] The Tapwave Zodiac Console Now Shipping (http:/ / www. pcvsconsole. com/ news. php?nid=2195)
[2] Tapwave Discontinues Zodiac Business (http:/ / www.palminfocenter. com/ news/ 7990/ tapwave-discontinues-zodiac-business/ )
[3] Farewell Tapwave (http:/ / web.archive. org/ web/ 20060115053425/ http:/ / www. allaboutpalm. com/ features/ item/ Farewell_Tapwave.
php)
[4] Tapwave Discontinues Zodiac Business (http:/ / www.palminfocenter. com/ news/ 7990/ tapwave-discontinues-zodiac-business)
[5] Now closed (http:/ / www.emuboards. com/ invision/ index. php?showtopic=24315). Emuboards (2013-05-05). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
[6] contentFrame (http:/ / www. cinergi-interactive. com/ html/ corporate_page_01_profile. htm). Cinergi-interactive.com. Retrieved on
2013-08-23.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tapwave Zodiac.
WonderSwan
469
WonderSwan
WonderSwan

Top: WonderSwan
Bottom: SwanCrystal
Manufacturer Bandai
Retail availability
WonderSwan:
JP
March 4, 1999
WonderSwan Color:
JP
December 9, 2000
SwanCrystal:
JP
July 12, 2002
Discontinued 2003
WonderSwan
470
History
fifty games.
factor.
WonderSwan
471
AA battery.
WonderSwan
472
Game library
Reception
consideration."
WonderSwan
473
References
WonderSwan Color
WonderSwan

Top: WonderSwan
Bottom: SwanCrystal
Manufacturer Bandai
Retail availability
WonderSwan:
JP
March 4, 1999
WonderSwan Color:
JP
December 9, 2000
SwanCrystal:
JP
July 12, 2002
Discontinued 2003
WonderSwan Color
474
History
fifty games.
factor.
WonderSwan Color
475
AA battery.
WonderSwan Color
476
Game library
Reception
consideration."
WonderSwan Color
477
References
XaviXPort gaming console
The XaviXPORT
The XaviXPORT is the main console for the XaviX Interactive
System, released by SSD COMPANY LIMITED in 2004. The console
uses cartridges and special wireless controllers. The controllers are
shaped like sports equipment (such as baseball bats or tennis racquets),
with users actions represented on the television screen through the use
of sensors in the controllers. The MSRP for the XaviXPORT was USD
$79.99, however as of 2013, the price was dropped to USD 39.99 for
the standard kit.
Applications
Bowling
Tennis
Baseball
Golf
PowerBoxing
J-Mat
Bassfishing
Lifestyle Manager
Eyehand
Music & Circuit
External links
XaviX home page
[1]
XaviX Shopping Page
[2]
A review on XaviX
[3]
References
[1] http:/ / www. xavix. com
[2] http:/ / www. xavixstore.com
[3] http:/ / voices. yahoo.com/ xavixport-sports-fun-fitness-video-game-487088. html
Xbox
478
Xbox
This article is about the "Xbox" brand. For the 2001 console, see Xbox (console). For other uses, see Xbox
(disambiguation).
Xbox
Product type Video gaming
Owner Microsoft Corporation
Country Microsoft Redmond Campus, Redmond, Washington, United States
Introduced 2001
Markets Worldwide
Registered as a trademark in Worldwide
Website
www.xbox.com
[1]
The Xbox is a video gaming brand created by Microsoft. It includes a series of video game consoles developed by
Microsoft, with consoles in the sixth to eighth generations, as well as applications (games), streaming services, and
the online service, Xbox Live. The brand was first introduced on November 15, 2001 in the United States, with the
launch of the original Xbox console.
That original device was the first video game console offered by an American company after the Atari Jaguar
stopped sales in 1996. It reached over 24 million units sold as of May 10, 2006. Microsoft's second console, the
Xbox 360, was released in 2005 and has sold over 77.2 million consoles worldwide as of April 18, 2013. The
successor to the Xbox 360 and Microsoft's most recent console, the Xbox One, was revealed on May 21, 2013. The
Xbox One has been released in 21 markets around the world on November 22, 2013, with the UK as its first country.
The head of Xbox is Phil Spencer, who succeeded former head Marc Whitten in late March 2014.
Consoles
Xbox
Main article: Xbox (console)
Xbox console with "Controller S"
The original Xbox was released on November 15, 2001 in North
America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia
and Europe. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console
market. As part of the sixth-generation of gaming, the Xbox competed
with Sony's PlayStation 2, Sega's Dreamcast (which stopped American
sales before the Xbox went on sale), and Nintendo's GameCube. The
Xbox was the first console offered by an American company after the
Atari Jaguar stopped sales in 1996. The name Xbox was derived from a
contraction of DirectX Box, a reference to Microsoft's graphics API, DirectX.
[2]
The integrated Xbox Live service launched in November 2002 allowed players to play games online with a
broadband connection. It first competed with Dreamcast's online service but later primarily competed with
Xbox
479
PlayStation 2's online service. Although these two are free while Xbox Live required a subscription, as well as
broadband-only connection which was not completely adopted yet, Xbox Live was a success due to better servers,
features such as a buddy list, and milestone titles like Halo 2 released in November 2004, which is the best-selling
Xbox video game and was by far the most popular online game for years.
Xbox 360
Left: Xbox 360 Elite, Right: Xbox 360 S and
new-style controller
Main article: Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 was released as the successor of the original Xbox in
November 2005, competing with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's
Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. As of
June 30, 2013, 78.2 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold
worldwide. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12,
2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that
month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The console sold out
completely upon release in all regions except in Japan.
The Xbox 360 introduced an expanded Xbox Live service (which now
included a limited "Free" tier), the ability to stream multimedia content
from PCs, while later updates added the ability to purchase and stream
music, television programs, and films through the Xbox Music and Xbox Video services, along with access to
third-party content services through third-party media streaming applications. Microsoft also released Kinect, a
motion control system for the Xbox 360 which uses an advanced sensor system.
At their E3 presentation on June 14, 2010, Microsoft announced a redesigned Xbox 360 that would ship on the same
day. The redesigned console is slimmer than the previous Xbox 360 model and features integrated 802.11 b/g/n
Wi-Fi, TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio output, five USB 2.0 ports (compared to the three from older versions) and
special port designed for the Kinect peripheral.
[3]
Older models of the Xbox 360 have since been discontinued. The
first new console to be released features a 250GB hard drive, while a later less expensive SKU features 4GB
internal storage.
Xbox One
Main article: Xbox One
The Xbox One with the redesigned Kinect and
controller
The Xbox One was released on November 22, 2013 in North America,
as the successor of the Xbox 360. The Xbox One competes with Sony's
PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's Wii U as part of the eighth generation of
video game consoles.
Announced on May 21, 2013, the Xbox One will place a large
emphasis on internet-based features; including the ability to record and
stream gameplay, and the ability to integrate with a set-top box to
watch cable or satellite TV through the console with an enhanced guide
interface and Kinect-based voice control.
Following its unveiling, the Xbox One proved controversial for its
original digital rights management and privacy practices; while Microsoft touted the ability for users to access their
library of games (regardless of whether they were purchased physically or digitally) on any Xbox One console
without needing their discs, and the ability to share their entire library with 10 designated "family" members, all
Xbox
480
games would have to be tied to the user's Xbox Live account and their Xbox One console, and the console would be
required to connect to the Internet on a periodic basis (at least once every 24 hours) in order to synchronize the
library, or else the console would be unable to play any games at all. After an overwhelmingly negative response
from critics and consumers (who also showed concerns that the system could prevent or hinder the resale of used
games), Microsoft announced that these restrictions would be dropped. Microsoft was also criticized for requiring
the Xbox One to have its updated Kinect peripheral plugged in to function, which critics and privacy advocates
believed could be used as a surveillance device. Despite showing a commitment to user privacy, Microsoft still
ultimately decided to allow the console to function without Kinect.
[4]
Comparison
Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One
Console
Console Launch
price
US$299.99
GB299.99
479,99
US$299.99 (Core) (discontinued)
US$399.99 (Premium 20GB) (discontinued)
US$249.99 (Premium 60GB) (discontinued)
US$479.99 (Elite) (120GB) (discontinued)
US$299.99 (Arcade 256MB internal memory)
(discontinued)
US$199.99 (Arcade 512MB internal memory)
(discontinued)
US$299.99 ("Super Elite") (250GB)
(discontinued)
US$399.99 (Xbox 360 S 250GB + Kinect)
US$299.99 (Xbox 360 S 250GB)
US$299.99 (Xbox 360 S 4GB internal memory
+ Kinect)
US$199.99 (Xbox 360 S 4GB internal
memory)
US$199.99 (Xbox 360 E 4GB internal
memory)
US$299.99 (Xbox 360 E 250GB)
US$299.99 (Xbox 360 E 4GB internal memory
+ Kinect)
US$499
GB429
499
Release date
NA
November 15, 2001
JP
February 22, 2002
EU
March 14, 2002
NA
November 22, 2005
EU
December 2, 2005
JP
December 10, 2005
AUS
March 23, 2006
Further information: Xbox 360 launch#Release
dates and pricing
November 22, 2013
[5]
Discontinued
JP
2007
NA
2008
EU
2008
N/A N/A
Xbox
481
Units sold 24+ million (as of May 10, 2006)
77.2 million (as of April 18, 2013[6])(details) 3 million (as of January 6,
2014[6])
[7]
Best-selling game Halo 2, 8 million (as of May 9,
2006)
Kinect Adventures (pack-in with Kinect
peripheral), 24 million
Best selling non-bundled game: Call of Duty:
Modern Warfare 3, 14.23 million
N/A
Media CD, DVD CD, DVD, HD DVD (movies only) with add-on
drive
CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc
[8]
Accessories
(retail)
Xbox Live Starter Kit
Xbox Media Center Extender
DVD Playback Kit
Xbox Music Mixer
Memory Unit (8MB)
Logitech Wireless Controller
(2.4GHz)
More...
see Xbox 360 accessories
TBA
CPU 733MHz x86 Intel
Celeron/Pentium III Custom
Hybrid CPU
3.2GHz IBM PowerPC tri-core CPU codenamed
"Xenon"
1.75GHz AMD x86-64 eight-core
CPU codenamed "Jaguar"
GPU 233MHz nVidia custom GeForce
3 NV2A DirectX 8.0 based GPU
500MHz ATi custom Radeon X1800 DirectX
9.0c based GPU codenamed "Xenos"
853MHz AMD Radeon HD 7000
series DirectX 11.1 based GPU
codenamed "Durango"
Memory 64 MB DDR SDRAM @
200MHz; in dual-channel 128-bit
configuration giving 6400 MB/s
512 MB of GDDR3 RAM @ 700MHz 22.4
GB/s, 10 MB EDRAM GPU frame buffer
memory
8 GB of DDR3 RAM @ 2133MHz
68.3 GB/s, 32 MB ESRAM GPU
frame buffer memory
Video I/O VGA, Component (YPbPr),
SCART, S-Video, Composite
1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i,
480p, 480i
HDMI (on models manufactured after August
2007), VGA, Component/D-Terminal
(YPbPr), SCART, S-Video, Composite
1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i
Various monitor resolutions available via VGA
and HDMI/DVI (640480, 848480, 1024768,
1280720, 1280768, 12801024, 1360768,
1440900, 16801050 & 19201080)
HDMI (one in, one out)
4K 2160p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p
Audio I/O Optical Toslink, Stereo RCA
DTS (movies only), Dolby
Digital Live, Dolby Digital,
Dolby Surround, Stereo
HDMI, Optical Toslink, Stereo RCA
DTS (movies only), WMA Pro, Dolby Digital,
Dolby Surround, Stereo
HDMI (one in, one out), Optical
Toslink
DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby
TrueHD, DTS-HD High
Resolution Audio, Dolby Digital
Plus, DTS, Dolby Digital
Online service Xbox Live (200210) XLink Kai
(2003-present)
Xbox Live
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Vision (webcam), headset
Xbox Live Video Marketplace
Windows Live Messenger
Internet Explorer (Xbox Live Gold required)
VideoKinect (Kinect sensor is no longer needed)
Xbox Live
Xbox Store
Internet Explorer
Skype
Backward
compatibility
N/A
50% of Xbox Library None
System software Xbox Music Mixer
DVD Playback Kit, Xbox Linux
see Xbox 360 system software Xbox OS
Xbox
482
System software
features
Audio CD playback
TBA
Consumer
programmability
Via Softmods and/or modchips;
Modified Windows CE 2.x,
Linux
Development on PC with XNA Game Studio
($99/year subscription, binary distribution with
XNA 1.0 Refresh)
TBA
Games
Main articles: List of Xbox games, List of Xbox 360 games, List of Xbox One games, List of Xbox Live Arcade
games, List of Xbox Live Arcade Kinect games, List of Xbox Originals, List of Xbox 360 Games on Demand, List
of Xbox games on Windows Phone and List of Xbox 360 System Link games
Each console has a variety of games. Most games released on the original Xbox are backwards compatible and can
be played directly on its successor, Xbox 360. Xbox One is not backward compatible with original Xbox or Xbox
360 games.
Online services
Xbox Live
Main article: Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online service with over 40 million users worldwide (as of January 10, 2012). It comprises an online
virtual market, the Xbox Live Marketplace, which allows the purchase and download of games and various forms of
multimedia. Online gaming on the Xbox first started on November 15, 2002 worldwide. The service is still active
and continues to be played by gamers.
Main article: Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace (XBLM) is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows
Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content. The service offers movie and game trailers,
Video Store, game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, Xbox Live Indie Games (Previously Community Games),
Games on Demand (Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals), downloadable content such as map packs, gamer pictures, and
Xbox 360 Dashboard themes.
The August 11, 2009 update added Xbox 360 games for download, the Avatar Marketplace, and renamed
Community Games to Indie Games.
The Spring 2007 update to the Xbox 360 Dashboard relocated the Marketplace to its own "blade" in order to bring
more attention to the service and make it more accessible to users. Although this has been obsoleted by the NXE
update, the section has been implemented into three separate sections in the Dashboard: the Game Marketplace,
Video & Music Marketplace, and Avatar Marketplace.
Downloaded content requires enough space on either the Xbox 360's hard drive, or an Xbox 360 Memory Unit.
Selected downloads are placed in a queue and are downloaded whilst the console is powered on and is connected to
Xbox Live. Users can choose to send certain downloads to the front of the queue to be downloaded first. Downloads
are temporarily halted during certain times where games make use of Xbox Live's features (e.g. online multiplayer).
Xbox
483
Xbox SmartGlass
Main article: Xbox SmartGlass
Xbox SmartGlass is a companion application for Xbox 360 available for Windows 8, Windows Phone, iOS,
Android (version 4.0 and above) and Windows Server 2012. It was announced by Microsoft during E3 2012 and
released on October 26, 2012, coinciding with the release of Windows 8. It connects with the Xbox 360 and allows
more interactive entertainment, allowing mobile devices to potentially serve as second screens and remote controller.
Currently Windows 8 and Windows RT Tablets and PCs, Windows Phone (7.5 and 8) iOS devices, and Android
smartphones (4.x) are compatible with SmartGlass, providing information such as Halo 4 stats and Forza Horizon
GPS. Users of Windows Server 2012 can currently download the application from the Windows Store after installing
the Windows Desktop Experience feature in the Server Manager.
[9]
Software
See also: Xbox 360 system software
Xbox 360 Dashboard
Main article: Xbox 360 Dashboard
The Xbox 360's original graphical user interface was the Xbox 360 Dashboard; a tabbed interface that featured five
"Blades" (formerly four blades), and was designed by AKQA and Audiobrain. It could be launched automatically
when the console booted without a disc in it, or when the disc tray was ejected, but the user had the option to select
what the console does if a game is in the tray on start up, or if inserted when already on. A simplified version of it
was also accessible at any time via the Xbox Guide button on the gamepad. This simplified version showed the user's
gamercard, Xbox Live messages and friends list. It also allowed for personal and music settings, in addition to voice
or video chats, or returning to the Xbox Dashboard from the game.
Controllers
Early Xbox controller
Original Xbox controller, first showcased in 2000
Main article: Xbox Controller
Released in 2001, the Xbox control pad was the first controller made
for the original Xbox. The Xbox controller features two analog sticks,
a pressure-sensitive directional pad, two analog triggers, a Back button,
a Start button, two accessory slots and six 8-bit analog action buttons
(A/Green, B/Red, X/Blue, Y/Yellow, and Black and White buttons).
The standard Xbox controller (originally nicknamed the "Fatty" and
later the "Duke") was originally the controller bundled with Xbox
systems for all territories except Japan.
Xbox 360 Controller
Main article: Xbox 360 Controller
Xbox
484
Xbox Controller S, which first shipped in 2002
Xbox 360 S Controller
Released in 2005, the Xbox 360 controller for the Xbox 360 succeeded
its predecessor. A standard Xbox 360 controller features eleven digital
buttons, two analog triggers, two analog sticks and a digital D-pad. The
right face of the controller features four digital actions buttons; a green
"A" button, red "B" button, blue "X" button and yellow "Y" button.
The lower right houses the right analog stick, in lower left is a digital
D-pad and on the left face is the left analog stick. Both analog sticks
can also be "clicked in" to activate a digital button beneath. In the
center of the controller face are digital "Start", "Back" and "Guide"
buttons. The "Guide" button is labelled with the Xbox logo, and is used
to turn on the console/controller and to access the guide menu. It is
also surrounded by the "ring of light", which indicates the controller
number, as well as flashing when connecting and to provide notifications. The left and right "shoulders" each feature
a digital shoulder button, or "bumper", and an analog trigger.
Xbox 360 Kinect
Main article: Kinect
The Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor
Kinect is a motion sensing input device by Microsoft for the Xbox 360
video game console and Windows PCs. Based around a webcam-style
add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console, it enables users to control
and interact with the Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game
controller, through a natural user interface using gestures and spoken
commands. The project is aimed at broadening the Xbox 360's
audience beyond its typical gamer base. Kinect competes with the Wii Remote Plus and PlayStation Move with
PlayStation Eye motion controllers for the Wii and PlayStation 3 home consoles, respectively. A version for
Windows was released on February 1, 2012.
Kinect was launched in North America on November 4, 2010, in Europe on November 10, 2010, in Australia, New
Zealand and Singapore on November 18, 2010, and in Japan on November 20, 2010. Purchase options for the sensor
peripheral include a bundle with the game Kinect Adventures and console bundles with either a 4GB or 250GB
Xbox 360 console and Kinect Adventures.
The Kinect claimed the Guinness World Record of being the "fastest selling consumer electronics device" after
selling a total of 8 million units in its first 60 days. 24 million units of the Kinect sensor had been shipped as of
January 2012.
Xbox
485
Microsoft released Kinect software development kit for Windows 7 on June 16, 2011. This SDK was meant to allow
developers to write Kinecting apps in C++/CLI, C#, or Visual Basic .NET.
Additional information on the Xbox One Kinect was released on June 6, 2013, including information on how to turn
off the "always on" feature.
Xbox One Controller
Main article: Xbox One Controller
The Xbox One console has a revised controller with forty improvements over the 360's controller. This new
controller is built to work with Kinect. The Start and Back buttons are no longer present. It has impulse triggers that
replaces the regular triggers. The button with the Xbox logo will no longer bring up the Xbox Guide as the Xbox
Guide Button on the Xbox 360 controller did. The button will now open up the dashboard without interrupting the
game currently being played by the user. Once pressed again, the Xbox will resume the game.
Xbox One Kinect
The Xbox one Kinect sensor
Although featuring improved performance over the original Kinect, its
successor has been subject to mixed responses. It has been praised for
its wide angle, its fast response time and high quality camera.
However, the Kinect's inability to understand some accents in English
was criticized. Furthermore, controversies surround Microsoft's
intentional tying of the sensor with the Xbox One console despite the
initial requirements for the sensor being plugged in at all times having
been revised since its initial announcement. There have also been a
number of concerns regarding privacy.
References
[1] http:/ / www. xbox. com
[2] "11-X, WEP, Midway, CyberPlayGround, FACE the rejected names for Microsofts first console" http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/
11-x-cyberplayground-ehq-the-rejected-names-for-microsofts-first-console/
[3] Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat. " Microsoft to Launch Smaller XBOX 360 Game Console (http:/ / venturebeat. com/ 2010/ 06/ 14/
microsoft-to-launch-smaller-xbox-360-game-console/ )." June 14, 2010.
[4] Kinect No Longer Mandatory For Xbox One (But Will Still Come With It) [UPDATE] (http:/ / kotaku. com/
xbox-one-wont-actually-need-kinect-plugged-in-microso-1113142909). Kotaku.com. Retrieved on August 23, 2013.
[5] http:/ / majornelson. com/ 2013/ 09/ 04/ xbox-one-to-launch-on-november-22-2013-in-13-markets
[6] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Xbox& action=edit
[7] Thank You for an Epic 2013 (http:/ / news. xbox.com/ 2014/ 01/ xbox-one-january-thank-you) January 6, 2014
[8] Microsoft Xbox One - Consoles - CNET Reviews (http:/ / reviews. cnet. com/ microsoft-xbox-one/ )
[9] http:/ / mashable.com/ 2012/ 10/ 23/ xbox-smartglass-preview/ Xbox SmartGlass Changes the Second-Screen Playing Field
External links
Official website (http:/ / www. xbox. com)
Xbox (https:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20010730111322/ http:/ / www. xbox. com/ default. htm) at the Wayback
Machine (archived July 30, 2001)
486
Seventh Generation Game Consoles
Dingoo
Dingoo A-320
Manufacturer
Dingoo Digital Technology Company Ltd.
[1]
Retail availability February 2009
Media SD card
Operating system Some custom Linux distribution
Linux for gaming
System-on-chip used Jz4732 / Jz4740
CPU XBurst@360MHz (MIPS)
Memory 32MB RAM
Storage SanDisk 2GB Micro SD internal flash memory
Display 2.8" LCD, 320240px, 65.5K colors
Website
www.dingoo.hk
[2]
The Dingoo A-320 is a gaming handheld that supports music and video playback and open game development. The
system features an on-board radio and recording program. It is available to consumers in three colors: white, black,
and pink. It was released in February 2009 and has since sold over 1 million units. Wikipedia:Citation needed
Dingoo focuses on games and media products, and is located in the Futian District, Shenzhen.
Dingoo
487
Hardware
A black Dingoo.
Specifications
Internal Storage 1/2/4GB flash
Additional Storage MiniSD/SDHC (MicroSD/SDHC with adapter)
Input D-Pad, 2 shoulder, 4 face, Start & Select buttons, Mic.
Outputs Stereo Speakers, Headphone Jack & TV-out w/ included
cable
I/O Mini-USB connector 2.0
Battery 3.7V 1700-1800 mAH (6.29WH) Li-Ion, approx. 7 hours run time
Video Playback RM, MP4, 3GP, AVI, ASF, MOV, FLV, MPEG
Audio Playback MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, RA
Radio Digital FM Tuner
Recording Supports digital recording of voice (MP3 and WMA formats) and FM radio at 8kHz
Software Support Free official and unofficial SDKs Available
Dimensions 125 55.5 14mm) / (4.92in x 2.17in x 0.59in)
Weight 3.8 oz (110g)
[3]
Function
Games
Original
Original games in two different languages (USA (U) and Chinese (C)) for the Native OS are included:
7 Days - Salvation (U)
Ali Baba (U)
Amiba's Candy (U)
Block Breaker (U)
Decollation Warrior [God of War Criminal Day] (U)
Dingoo Link Em Up (U)
Dingoo Snake (U)
Hell Striker II [World Road] (U)
Landlord (U)
Nose Breaker (U)
Puzzle Bobble [PoPo Bash] (C)
Tetris (U)
Ultimate Drift (U)
Yi-Chi King Fighter (C)
Zhao Yun Chuan (C)
Dingoo
488
Homebrew
Homebrew / Public Domain (PD) games for all operation systems (OS) can be added manually:
Native OS
15
Aothello
Arcade Volleyball
Astro Lander
Biniax 2
BlueCube4D
Brickomania
Chip World
Color Lines
Commander Koon [Commander Keen]
Connect Four - Zero Gravity
Digger
Dooom
Game & Watch - Formula 1
HexaVirus
Manic Miner
MineSweeper
mRPG
Mushroom Roulette
New RAW [Another World]
Quake
Rubido
SameGoo
SomeTris
Spartak-Chess
Spear of Destiny
Spoout
szSokuban760
szSudoku760 [Sudoku Platinum]
TCGS Car
The Last Mission
TowerToppler [Nebulus]
Vectoroids
Vorton
Wolfenstein 3-D
Wubtris
XRickOO [Rick Dangerous]
Dingoo
489
Dingux
Duke Nukem 3D
Emulation
Official
GBA
NES
Neo Geo
SNES
CPS-1
CPS-2
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
Community-based
Atari 800 8-bit computers
Atari 2600 (Dingux only)
Atari 5200
Atari 7800
Atari Lynx
ColecoVision
Commodore 64
Commodore Amiga
Magnavox Odyssey 2
MSX (openMSX Dingux
[4]
)
Neo Geo
Neo Geo Pocket
Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Color
Nintendo Game Boy Advance
PC Engine
PlayStation (Dingux only)
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive/Mega-CD (Dingux only)
Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear (in progress, working for most games)
WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color (in progress, working for most games)
ZX Spectrum (GP2Xpectrum for Dingux, Unreal Speccy Portable
[5]
for native OS)
Arcade games
Centipede and Millipede
CPS-1
CPS-2
FinalBurn Alpha (Dingux only)
MAME
[6]
Mikie (Konami arcade game)
Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man
Dingoo
490
Video player
Video containers: RMVB, RM, AVI, WMV, FLV, MPEG, MP4, ASF, MOV
Video codecs: WMV1, WMV3, WMV7, WMV8.1, WMV9, MP42, mp4v, DIV3, DiVX5, XViD, MJPG,
MPEG1, MPEG2
LCD resolution: 320240
Audio player
Audio formats: MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, WAV, AC3, MOD, S3M, XM
Channels: Stereo
EQ Function
Photo viewer
Supports JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG File Formats
Text reader
Supports TXT file formats (English and Chinese)
Support English text to speech
Further functions include bookmarking, auto browsing, font sizing, and it can open while music is playing.
Radio receiver
FM Radio
Wide channel range from 76.0108.0MHz, support manual/auto channel scanning, FM recording and can keep
playing while using other application. User can save up to 40 channels.
Audio recording
Voice and radio recording
Voice recording and supports MP3/WAV formats.
Other
Supports SWF File Format (only Flash 6)
U-disk virus protection: Built-in anti-virus software protection, to keep the system at its best performance.
USB 2.0 Transmission Interface: Windows 2000/XP/Vista and Mac OS X support
Dingoo
491
File browser
allows you to find files on your Dingoo (games, music, videos, photos, voice recordings)
Firmware
A Dingoo running an alpha version of a Linux
port
Official firmware
Firmware V1.01
Firmware V1.02
Firmware V1.03
Firmware V1.10 (Added Multi-Language Support)
Firmware V1.11 (Added Korean Language Support)
Firmware V1.20 (Y & B button bug fix and more)
Firmware V1.22
Unofficial firmware
Team Dingoo released the first unofficial firmware with user customizable theming possibilities. The system files
were moved from hidden memory to an accessible memory location, allowing users to change the graphical settings.
This firmware is updated regularly.
a320-1.03TD-3
a320-1.03TD-2
a320-1.03TD-1
C/OS-II
The native operating system of the Dingoo A-320 is a variant of C/uOS-II, a low-cost priority-based pre-emptive
real time multitasking operating system kernel for microprocessors, written mainly in the C programming language.
It is mainly intended for use in embedded systems. All official software for the Dingoo A-320 (including its
emulators) run on C/OS-II.
Linux
A Linux kernel was generally released by Booboo on Google Code on May 18, 2009.
A dual boot installer called "Dingux" was released June 24. This allows for dual booting the original firmware or
Linux without the need for connection to a PC.
Enthusiasts have successfully run Linux versions of many games, including Prboom engine (Doom, Hexen, Heretic),
Build engine (Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior), Quake, Dodgin' Diamonds 1 & 2, Biniax 2, GNU Robbo, Super
Transball 2, Defendguin, Waternet, Sdlroids, Spout, Tyrian, Rise of the Triad, Open Liero, REminiscence,
Blockrage, and the OpenBOR game engine.
The Dingoo can run emulators: ScummVM, SMS Plus, Gmuplayer, FinalBurn Alpha, Gnuboy, GpSP, MAME,
PSX4ALL, Snes9x, PicoDrive, openMSX, GP2Xpectrum, and FCEUX.
Dingoo
492
Reviews
Dingoo A320 review by Tech Radar
[7]
Dingoo A320 Review by Gadgetoid (English)
[8]
Dingoo A320 Review at Bordersdown forums (previously NTSC-uk) (English)
[9]
External links
Dingoo Official Website (English)
[10]
Dingoonity: Dingoo A-320 Development and Discussion forum (English)
[11]
Dingoo-Scene A-320 News Blog (English)
[12]
Dingoo Video-Audio Codec Analysis (English)
[13]
Emuboards A-320 News (English)
[14]
DCEmu A-320 News (English)
[15]
PDRoms Dingoo News & Files (English)
[16]
A-320 Wiki
[17]
Booboo's Dingoo Linux Blog (English)
[18]
Vice ( Dingoo native)
[19]
References
[1] Shenzhen Dingoo Technology Co., Ltd. (http:/ / www.dingoo. hk/ en_main. asp)
[2] http:/ / www. dingoo.hk
[3] http:/ / www. dingoo.cn/ en_index.asp
[4] http:/ / sourceforge. net/ projects/ openmsx/ files/
[5] http:/ / code. google. com/ p/ unrealspeccyp/
[6] MAME for DINGOO (http:/ / dingoo-a320.dcemu. co. uk/ mame4all-dingoo-v1-0-arcade-emulator-for-mame-225496. html)
[7] http:/ / www. techradar. com/ reviews/ gaming/ handheld-consoles/ dingoo-digital-a320-624388/ review
[8] http:/ / www. gadgetoid.com/ 2009/ 06/ 06/ dingoo-a320-review/
[9] http:/ / www. bordersdown. net/ showthread.php?t=94337
[10] http:/ / www.dingoo. hk/ en_main. asp
[11] http:/ / boards. dingoonity.org/ index. php
[12] http:/ / dingoo-scene. blogspot. com/
[13] http:/ / sience. schattenkind.net/
[14] http:/ / www.emuboards. com/ invision/ index.php?act=uportal& news=111
[15] http:/ / dingoo-a320. dcemu. co. uk/
[16] http:/ / pdroms. de/ files/ dingoo/
[17] http:/ / a320. bluwiki. com/
[18] http:/ / www.dingux. com/
[19] http:/ / boards. dingoonity.org/ dingoonity-news/ vice-2-3-for-native-dingoo-3221/
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dingoo.
EVO Smart Console
493
EVO Smart Console
EVO Smart Console
Manufacturer Envizions
Type Entertainment PC
Release date October20,2006 (beta)
November 20, 2008 (final)
Discontinued 2010
Units sold 100? ("in the low hundreds")
Media DVD, CD
CPU 2.9GHz AMD Athlon
(core)
800MHz (memory).
Storage 120GB hard disk
2GB RAM
Connectivity Ethernet
2 USB 2.0
Backward
compatibility
Linux
EVO Smart Console (originally called Evo: Phase One) was a Media PC and game console marketed in the
seventh generation era, and produced by Envizions. The beta, called EVO: Phase One, was released on October 20,
2006, and the final product was released on November 20, 2008.
The system uses Linux software, which is built using the Fedora operating system. The system came bundled with
three games; SuperTux, Kobo Deluxe, and Kid Destiny. The console also features high definition (HD), Internet
access, and allows running Windows games. It also has a built-in 120 GB hard drive and 2 GB RAM.
EVO Smart Console
494
Final version
The final name of the system was EVO Smart Console, and was released to developers on November 20, 2008 and it
cost $250. The latest version had Amiga-based games, an Akimbo-based video on demand service. It also had a
larger, 250 GB hard drive, 1080p resolution, and its own Fedora-based Linux operating system, Mirrors Evolution.
There are open source codes for developers to make Linux games.
Specifications
Processors
Central processing unit
AMD Athlon 64x2 5600+ (2.90GHz)
Graphics processing unit
ATI HD 3200
Memory, Storage
120 GB Hard Drive, Cloud storage
2 GB DDR2
Digital media
DVD-ROM Drive (Compatible with DVD-video, DVD-ROM,
DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-ROM, CD-RW)
Input/output
One HDMI port, One DVI port
One SD card port
Two USB 2.0 ports, Two Ethernet ports
Three audio ports
Software
Linux Fedora
Proprietary firmware
General features
Internet access, VoIP
Runs Windows games, Amiga-based games
Allows multiple players from one master hub
Biometric security system that supports facial, voice and fingerprint
scans, and Biometric linked game saves
Standard-definition and high-definition video support
Remote access
Internet Television, Streaming content, Akimbo-based video on demand
(VOD), DVR
Online cloud storage
The voice-enabled Media Center Communicator allows playing music,
video conferencing, VoIP and other media functions
Successors
EVO 2
The EVO 2 is a cancelled game console project first mentioned on an Envizions press release in January 9, 2011
under the name GameBox, it was unveiled on May 25, 2011, with specs, images, and a new name. The sources stated
it was supposed to be released in fall 2011. Their website had previously stated that the console would ship in 2012.
Specifications
CPU: 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 core, Samsung S5PV210. Frequency up to 1.2GHz, 512MB memory, built-in 2G
memory space.
GPU: Nvidia Tegra
512MB Internal flash memory.
Expandable via SD/SDHC memory cards.
SD memory card slot (supports SDHC cards)
5 USB 2.0 ports
"AV Multi Out" port, supporting composite video, S-Video (NTSC consoles only)
HDMI out port, supporting six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI
1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, or 480i, standard 4:3 and 16:9 anamorphic widescreen.
On November 28, 2012, Envizions CEO Derrick Samuels announced a new Android console, Oton, from his new
startup called 'EnGeniux', effectively ending EVO 2's development.
EVO Smart Console
495
EVO 2 DX
As of 2012[1], Envizions said it was developing the EVO 2 DX, a gaming PC running both Windows and Android
operating systems. It was rumored to have the ability to play Android games using motion gesturing, and have a
version which would play Blu-ray Discs.
Specifications
CPU: An undisclosed "quad-core Opteron & Phenom" CPU
GPU: Integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 (DirectX 10.1)
Chipset: AMD 785G chipset + SB750 chipset
VGA, DVI-D, HDMI 1.3 outputs
4 x SATA II 3Gbit/s AMD RAIDXpert RAID 0,1,5,10
Integrated ALC662 6-CH HD audio
Realtek PCI-Express gigabit Ethernet
1 x 32-bit PCI, 1 x mini-PCI Express, 2 x eSATA
As of the cancellation of the EVO 2, it is unknown what the situation with the EVO 2 DX is.
References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=EVO_Smart_Console& action=edit
External links
Official website (http:/ / www. envizionsinc. com)
Ez Station
496
Ez Station
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
Type
Public (NASDAQ:GAME
[1]
)
Industry Video games
Founded 1999
Headquarters Shanghai, China
Revenue $6.497 billion USD (2013)
Net income $716 million USD (2013)
Employees 8,431 (2011)
Website
www.snda.com
[2]
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (or Shanda Interactive) (Chinese: U V R W X Y Z [
\; pinyin: Shngd Hdng Yl Yuxin Gngs) is a Chinese operator of online games and book publisher, based
in Shanghai, established in December 1999 by Chen Tianqiao and Chen Danian. In 2005 it claimed to have 460
million registered accounts and an average of 1.2 million players at any given time. Its 2004 listing on the US-based
NASDAQ stock exchange raised $151.8 million USD. In September 2001, Shanda published its first game, The
Legend of Mir 2 (Licensed from a Korean company, WeMade Soft).
Shanda's published and operated games include AION, MapleStory, The World of Legend, The Age, Magical Land,
Ragnarok Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Crazy Arcade, and GetAmped.
History
In November 2005, Shanda announced that its multiplayer online role-playing games Magical Land and The World
of Legend will forever be free to play. It was later revealed that once Shanda's games adopted this model, average
customer spending increased from 30 Chinese yuan to 55 Chinese yuan per quarter. Following Shanda's example,
other Chinese online game operators began to follow suit, declaring many of their titles free to play, popularizing
this model in China.
In February 2005, Shanda announced a purchase of about 20% of the portal website SINA.com, targeting digital
media markets. However, Shanda did not gain control over the board of trustees. On February 8, 2007, Shanda sold 4
million shares of Sina for $129 million, after Shanda transformed into a digital entertainment portal.
At the end of the fourth Quarter of 2010, Shanda Interactive Entertainment recorded operating revenues of CNY
1.5383 billion or USD 232.3 million, climbing 11% from a quarter earlier and 2% from a year ago.
Ez Station
497
Shanda Literature
In July 2008, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited announced the establishment of Shanda Literature Limited.
Former Sina Executive Editor Xiaoqiang Hou (Chinese:] ^) became the CEO of this business unit. Shanda
Literature owns three literature websites: Qidian, Hongxiu, and Jinjiang, capturing 80% of the market share in
Chinese entertainment literature.
Towards the end of 2009, Shanda Literature announced its intention to sue Chinese Search Engine Baidu.com for not
excluding online pirated literature works in its search results. By providing links to pirated sites, Shanda Literature
claims that Baidu.com violates its rights and reduces its profits.
Meanwhile, Shanda heavily promotes controversial writer Guo Jingming and signed on plagiarist vivibear as one of
its new novelists despite of protest from readers.
Legend of Mir 2 copyright dispute
In 2003, a dispute over profit sharing caused relationship to fracture between Shanda and Korean game-developer
WeMade Entertainment. No longer able to operate The Legend of Mir 2 (Chinese: _ ` . a), Shanda developed
game The World of Legend (Chinese:. a ), which began operation in June 2003. Shanda transferred all user
data from The Legend of Mir 2 into the new game, promising its customers that their character, points, armors and
weapons will remain the same. WeMade Entertainment deemed The World of Legend to be a copy of Mir 2 and sued
Shanda for copyright infringement in October 2003. After a prolonged legal battle, the two companies reached a
settlement on April 26, 2009.
Products
Bomb and Bubble
Company of Heroes Online, MMO real-time strategy computer game
Chinese Heroes, online video game
Dragon Ball Online
Dragon Nest
Dungeons & Dragons Online
GetAmped
Magical Land
MapleStory
Ragnarok Online
Shanda Rich Man
Super Star, First Online Karaoke Game
The Age
The Legend of Mir 2 (Licensed from a Korean company, WeMade Soft).
The Sign
The World of Legend
Three Kingdoms
Ez Station
498
Hardware
Ez Station, game console
Ez MINI, handheld game console
Subsidiaries
Aurora Technology is a subsidiary of Shanda. It publishes the MMORPG King of the World.
References
[1] http:/ / www. nasdaq.com/ symbol/ game
[2] http:/ / www. snda.com
External links
Shanda (http:/ / www. snda. com/ en/ index. jsp) - English
China's Shanda buys stake in Sina (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 1/ hi/ business/ 4283027. stm)
Shanda buys large stake in Sina portal (http:/ / english. people. com. cn/ 200502/ 21/ eng20050221_174120. html)
FC Twin
499
FC Twin
FC Twin
Manufacturer Qishenglong
Generation Seventh generation
Retail availability November 20, 2006
Units sold 1.3 millionWikipedia:Citation needed
Media NES/SNES cartridge
CPU NOAC (NES mode), Ricoh 5822 or compatible 3.58MHz (SNES mode)
Storage on-cartridge
Controller input 2x SNES
Connectivity composite/RCA
Backward
compatibility
Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The FC Twin (also known as the FC X2) is a Famiclone that can play Nintendo Entertainment System and Super
Nintendo games. Manufactured by Qishenglong (a b c), the system has been well-received due to the increasing
scarcity of the original hardware. It is distributed by Yobo Gameware in the U.S. and Gametech in Japan.
Similar remakes exist, both by Qi Sheng and others, such as the FC 3 Plus, RetroN 3,
[1]
Retro Duo,
[2]
Gen-X Dual
Station,
[3]
GN Twin, etc.
Compatibility
The FC Twin uses a card slot reader rather than a ZIF connector and has separate circuitry and cartridge slots for the
NES and SNES. With the Super Game Boy adaptor, Nintendo Game Boy cartridges can also be used. It features a
single-pole, double-throw power switch with open position; the switch can be thrown to 8-Bit (NES) or 16-Bit
(SNES), or set to off.
Second-generation NESes also used a card slot reader and featured no 10NES lock-out chip; however, unlike the
top-loading NES 2, the FC Twin is completely compatible with the Galoob Game Genie without the use of an
adapter. Both the official NES 2 and the FC Twin capitalize on the card slot reader's greater reliability; games rarely
suffer from bad connections as they did with the original ZIF socket.
FC Twin
500
The FC Twin console uses SNES compatible controllers and devices such as the Super Scope, Konami Justifier and
the SNES mouse, but cannot use NES compatible controllers and devices. Qi Sheng has its own version of the NES
Zapper which is compatible with games that require use of the NES Zapper. The Super Nintendo controller buttons
otherwise map to the NES controller inputs (B maps to Y, A maps to B. A maps to turbo B, X maps to turbo A; L
and R serve no function). When using any controllers besides the actual FC Twin ones, A and X do not have these
added turbo features.
Like the original Super NES, Super Famicom games require the removal of two plastic tabs around the cartridge slot
in order to be inserted properly.
The FC Twin connects through an RCA connector, and can be hooked into a surround sound system. When using
stereo and surround output from these systems, NES games may sound very different.
At times different copies of the same game can behave differently in the FC Twin. This may be explained by a
malfunction with the cartridge itself. Some copies of Dragon Warrior or Super Mario Bros. 2 for example will not
work in the FC Twin; while other copies of the same games will operate in the same machine. In other cases, the
system simply does not function with certain expansion chips, such as those in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
However, the problem with Castlevania III can be corrected on some models of the FC Twin by adding a 7404
inverter or 7400 NAND Gate to modify an A13 signal from the cartridge slot. This may enable other games to work
as well.
FC Twin with two games in it
Game Compatibility
NES
Title Region Compatible Glitches/Notes
8 Eyes US Yes
720 degrees US Yes
1942 US Yes
1943 US Yes
3-in-1 Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/World
Class Track Meet
US
No
Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
4-in-1 Quattro Arcade (unlicensed) US No
Abadox US Yes
FC Twin
501
Addams Family US Yes
Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt US Yes
AD&D: Heroes of the Lance US Yes
AD&D: Pool of Radiance US Yes
Adventures of Bayou Billy US Yes Requires FC Twin Light Gun
Adventures of Dino Riki US Yes
Adventures of Lolo US Yes
Adventures of Lolo 2 US Yes
Adventures of Lolo 3 US Yes
Adventures of Rad Gravity US Yes
Adventure Island US Yes
Adventure Island II US Yes
Adventure Island III US Yes
Air Fortress US Yes
Air Wolf US Yes
Alien Syndrome US Yes
Archon US Yes
Astyanax US Yes
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes US Yes
After Burner US No
Amagon US Yes
Anticipation US Yes
Arkanoid US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Arkanoid Controller)
Athena US Yes
Athletic World US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Back to the Future US Yes
Back to the Future II & III US Yes
Bad Dudes US Yes
Bandit Kings of Ancient China US No
Batman US Yes
Batman: Revenge of the Joker US Yes
Batman Returns US Yes
Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril US Yes
Battletoads US No Level 2 freezes; all other levels normal
Battletoads & Double Dragon US Yes
Bionic Commando US Yes
Blaster Master US Yes
Bonk's Adventure US Yes
Bubble Bobble US Yes
FC Twin
502
Bubble Bobble II US Yes
Burai Fighter US Yes
Cabal US Yes
Captain Planet and the Planeteers US No Controller not recognized
Captain Skyhawk US Yes
California Raisins: Grape Escape (prototype) US Yes
Castlequest US Yes
Castlevania US Yes
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest US Yes
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse US No Game uses MMC5 Chip (corrected with simple modification)
Castlevania III: Akumajou Densetsu US Yes Requires Famicom to NES adapter modified for expansion sound
Caveman Ninja US Yes
Cheetahmen II US No
Challenge of the Dragon US No Works in later hardware revisions
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers US Yes
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 US Yes
Clash at Demonhead US Yes
Crisis Force US Yes
Crystal Mines US No Works in later hardware revisions
Crystalis US Yes
Cobra Triangle US Yes
Cobra Command US Yes
Contra US Yes
Contra: Gryzor (Japanese) Japan Yes Requires Famicom to NES adapter
Contra Force US Yes
Dance Aerobics US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Demon Sword US Yes
Dig Dug Japan Yes Requires Famicom to NES adapter
Dig Dug II US Yes
Dirty Harry: The War Against Drugs US No
Donkey Kong US Yes
Donkey Kong Classics US Yes
Donkey Kong Jr. US Yes
Donkey Kong 3 US Yes
Double Dragon US Yes
Double Dragon II US Yes
Double Dragon III US Yes
Duck Hunt US Yes Requires FC Twin Light Gun
DuckTales US Yes Works on later hardware revisions
FC Twin
503
DuckTales II US Yes
Dragon Spirit US Yes
Dragon Warrior 2 US No Works in later hardware revisions
Dragon Warrior III US Yes
Dynowarz US Yes
Excitebike US Yes
Fantasy Zone US Yes
Faxanadu US Yes
Fester's Quest US Yes Works in later hardware revisions
Fist of the North Star US Yes
Friday the 13th US Yes
Frankenstein US Yes
Galaga US Yes
Galaxian US Yes
Gargoyle's Quest II US Yes
Gauntlet US No Game uses 4 screen mirroring
Gauntlet II US Yes L and R Buttons pause game
Ghosts'n'Goblins US Yes
Golf US Yes
Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode US Yes
Gotcha! The Sport! US Yes Requires FC Twin Light Gun
Gradius US Yes
Gradius II (Japanese) US Yes requires Famicom to NES adapter
Gun Smoke US Yes
Gemfire US No
Gremlins 2: The New Batch US Yes
Gyromite US
Yes
Requires unsupported peripheral (R.O.B.). Possible to play using both
control pads instead of R.O.B.
Heavy Barrel US Yes
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York US Yes
Ironsword US Yes
Isolated Warrior US Yes
Karnov US Yes
Kid Icarus US Yes
Kid Niki US Yes
Kung Fu US Yes
Kung-Fu Heroes US Yes
Joust US Yes
Laser Invasion US No
Legendary Wings US Yes
FC Twin
504
Legend of Kage US Yes
Legend of Zelda US Yes
L'Empereur US No
Little Nemo: The Dream Master US Yes
Mad Max US No Controller not recognized
Marble Madness US Yes
Magic of Scheherazade US Yes
Mega Man US Yes
Mega Man 2 US Yes
Mega Man 3 US Yes
Mega Man 4 US Yes
Mega Man 5 US Yes
Mega Man 6 US Yes
Metal Gear US Yes
Metal Gear: Snake's Revenge US Yes
Metroid US Yes
Mike Tyson's Punch Out US Yes
Mike Tyson's Intergalactic Punch-Out US Yes
Miracle Piano Teaching System US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Miracle Piano)
Ninja Gaiden US Yes
Ninja Gaiden II US Yes
Ninja Gaiden III US Yes
Pac-Man US Yes
Paperboy US No Controller not recognized
Paperboy II US Yes
Pipe Mania US No
Punch Out US Yes
P.O.W. US Yes
Predator US Yes
Rad Racer US Yes
Rad Racer II US No Hack exists that runs on the console
Rambo US Yes
Rampage US Yes
Renegade US Yes
Robo Warrior US Yes
Robocop US Yes
S.C.A.T. US Yes
Section Z US Yes
Shadowgate US Yes
FC Twin
505
Shadow of the Ninja US Yes
Shatterhand US Yes
Shinobi US Yes
Short Order / Eggsplode! US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Silk Worm US Yes
Silver Surfer US Yes
Solar Jetman US Yes
Solomon's Key US Yes
Solomon's Key 2 US Yes
Solstice US Yes
Space Harrier Japan Yes
Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six US Yes
Splatterhouse Japan Yes Requires Famicom to NES adapter
Spyhunter US Yes
Stadium Events US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Stack-Up US No Requires unsupported peripheral (R.O.B.)
Star Soldier US Yes
StarTropics US Yes
StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge US Yes
Star Force US Yes
Star Wars US Yes
Street Cop US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight US Yes
Strider US Yes
Sunman (prototype) US Yes
SuperC US Yes
Super Mario Bros. US Yes
Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt US Yes Requires FC Twin Light Gun
Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/Track and Field US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Super Mario Bros. 2 US Yes
Super Mario Bros. 3 US Yes
Super Pitfall US Yes
Talespin US Yes
Target Renegade US Yes
Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Tournament
Fighters
Euro
Yes
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles US Yes
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade
Game
US
Yes
FC Twin
506
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The
Manhattan Project
US
Yes
Tetris US Yes
Tetris (Bulletproof Software) Japan Yes Requires Famicom to NES adapter
Tetris (Tengen) US Yes
The Karate Kid US Yes
The Krion Conquest US No Works in later hardware revisions
The Last Starfighter US No Gamepad will not respond, graphics intact
The Legend of Zelda US Yes
The Little Mermaid US Yes
The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants US Yes
The Uncanny X-Men US Yes
Thunder & Lightning US Yes
Tiger-Heli US Yes
Toki US Yes
Top Gun US Yes
Total Recall US Yes
Trojan US Yes
Twin Eagle US Yes
Uncharted Waters US No
Whomp 'Em US Yes
Werewolf US Yes
Wheel of Fortune US Yes
Willow US Yes
Wizards and Warriors US Yes
Wizards and Warriors III US Yes
Wizardry: Knight of the Diamonds US Yes
World Class Track Meet US No Requires unsupported peripheral (Power Pad)
Wrath of the Black Manta US Yes
WWF WrestleMania US Yes
WWF WrestleMania Challenge US Yes
Xexyz US Yes
Yo! Noid US Yes
Zanac US Yes
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link US Yes
Zen: Intergalactic Ninja US Yes
FC Twin
507
Super NES
Title Region Compatible Glitches/Notes
Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1 US Yes
Aladdin US Yes
BatterUP US No
Brawl Brothers US Yes
Captain America and the Avengers US Yes
Donkey Kong Country US Yes
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest US Yes
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double
Trouble!
US
Yes
Doom US Yes Over-world Map does not work
Dragon Quest JPN No
Dragon Quest II JPN No
Dragon Quest III JPN No
Final Fantasy II US Yes
Flintstones, The: The Movie US Yes
Frogger US Yes
Front Mission: Gun Hazard US No
Harvest Moon PAL Yes
Illusion of time PAL No
Jurassic Park Us Yes
Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball US Yes
Killer Instinct US Yes
Kirby's Dream Land 3 US
No
Game uses unsupported Nintendo SA-1 chip (reported as working on
some systems)
Kirby Super Star US Yes Game uses Nintendo SA-1 chip.
Lion King US Yes
Mario Paint US Yes
Mega Man X US Yes
Mortal Kombat US Yes Minor sounds problems
Mortal Kombat II US Yes Minor sounds problems
Mortal Kombat 3 US Yes Minor sounds problems
NBA Jam US Yes
NHL Stanley Cup US Yes
Paladin's Quest US No
Rival Turf US Yes
Robocop vs. Terminator US Yes
Scooby-Doo Mystery US Yes
Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge US Yes
FC Twin
508
Star Fox US Yes Minor color differences
Street Fighter Alpha 2 US Yes Reported working
Street Fighter II Turbo US Yes Minor color differences
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior US Yes
Stunt Race FX US No Game uses unsupported S-DD1 chip
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts US No 3rd Level Boss is invisible
Super Mario All-Stars US Yes
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World US Yes
Super Mario Kart US Yes
Super Mario RPG US No Game uses Nintendo SA-1 chip
Super Mario World US &
PAL
Yes
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island US Yes
Super Metroid US Yes
Super Punch Out US Yes
Super Scope 6 US No Gun works, controllers do not, 2 Player does not work
Super Star Wars US Yes
Super Castlevania IV US Yes
Terranigma US No Game has a lockout chip
The Jungle Book US Yes
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past US Yes
The Lion King US Yes
The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse US No Stage 2-4 and Stage 5-3 bosses are invisible
Tom and Jerry US Yes
Tetris Attack US Yes
Winter Gold US No Game uses unsupported Super FX chip
WWF Royal Rumble US Yes
WWF Super Wrestlemania US Yes
WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game US Yes
Yoshi's Cookie US Yes
Zombies Ate My Neighbors US Yes
Zool US Yes
Click "Show" to expand the lists. Games marked with are results from 8-bit Alucard's Classic Games.
FC Twin
509
Accuracy
The FC Twin does not always produce sounds faithfully, even with mono output; sound effects in the Super Mario
Bros. series games for example will immediately seem different. Nevertheless, some later models of the console
produce NES sound much more faithfully than earlier units.
Conversely, sound quality for SNES games is more accurate as the SPC700 in the original SNES used a
sample-driven mechanism similar to a type of instruction-driven MOD file. Reproducing the sound from these
systems simply requires playing back clips of sounds with mathematically defined effects and loop
points.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Graphics can appear darker in SNES games and color saturation is stronger for the NES. Graphics are also found to
be overly sharp in NES games, particularly with text, as Ars Technica noted in their study.
References
[1] Classic Console Combo (http:/ / www.nbcdfw.com/ blogs/ want-this/ Classic-Console-Combo-97943244. html)
[2] "Retro Duo Console," GameInformer 180 (April 2008): 34.
[3] Gen-x Dual Station Video Game System for Nes 8 Bit & Genesis 16 Bit Games (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ B00142GOOO)
External links
Qishenglong company website (http:/ / www. qishenglong. com/ doce/ )
FC Twin Ultimate Console Database (http:/ / ultimateconsoledatabase. com/ famiclones/ FC_twin. htm)
VideoGameCentral Presents:The Gamer's Voice: New System for the Super Nintendo. (http:/ / www.
videogamecentral. com/ fc-twin-snes-nes-retro-game-cartridge-duo-system-player-charcoal/ )
Polystation Brasil FC Twin (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20100716234016/ http:/ / www. polystationbrasil.
com/ 2009/ 06/ fc-twin. html)
GP2X
510
GP2X
GP2X
Manufacturer GamePark Holdings
Generation Seventh generation era
Retail availability November 10, 2005 (South Korea only)
Media Secure Digital card
CPU Dual CPU: 200 MHz Host ARM920T 200 MHz ARM940T
Predecessor GP32
Successor GP2X Wiz
The GP2X is an open source hardware, Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player
developed by South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on November 10, 2005, in South Korea
only.
The GP2X is designed for homebrew developers as well as commercial developers. It is commonly used to run
emulators for classic game consoles such as Neo Geo, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear,
Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, MAME and others.
Overview
The GP2X was designed to play music and videos, view photos, and play games. It had an open architecture (Linux
based), allowing anybody to develop and run software. Also, there was the possibility for additional features (such as
support for new media formats) to be added in the future due to the upgradeable firmware.
A popular use of the GP2X was to run emulators, which allows one to use software from a video game of another
system on the GP2X.
GP2X
511
History
The new model "F200" with touchscreen stylus
Shortly after the release of the GP32 in 2001, its maker Game Park
began to design their next handheld. A disagreement within the
company about the general direction of this system prompted many of
the staff Wikipedia:Citation needed to leave and create their own
company, GamePark Holdings, to produce a 2D-based handheld
system which they saw as the sequel to the GP32.
GamePark Holdings spoke to previous GP32 distributors and
developers to determine the specifications for the new machine and
how it should be promoted. Meetings were held in Seoul, Korea, where
the final design of the new console was agreed upon.
The first name of this console was the GPX2. However, it couldn't be used as a final name due to a possible
trademark violation with the name of a Japanese printer, the GPX. A contest for a new name was announced on
August 3, 2005. Around 1500 names were submitted in total. The winner of the competition was Matt Bakse who
chose the title GP2X. For this he was awarded a free GP2X console, although delivery of his prize was rather
delayed.
The GP2X has seen several minor hardware updates, most notably the changes from the First Edition to Normal
Edition and the Normal Edition to the MK2. Also, a new version called the "F200" was released October 30, 2007
[1]
and features a touchscreen, among other changes.
As of October 16, 2006, the GP2X had sold 30,000 units. On August 31, 2008, the CEO of Gamepark Holdings told
German GP2X distributor Michael Mrozek (aka. EvilDragon
[2]
) that 60,000 GP2X units had been sold.
[3]
On 26 August 2008, GamePark Holdings announced the successor to the GP2X, the "Wiz".
[4]
As of September 1, a version of the GP2X is still being sold in Korea by Vocamaster that is geared toward Koreans
who wish to learn English.
[5]
In fact, according to the official GP2X distributor for the UK, Craig Rothwell, most
GP2X units sold to date have been sold through Vocamaster as English-learning tools.
[6]
Hardware
Specifications
From http:/ / dl. openhandhelds. org/ cgi-bin/ gp2x. cgi:
Chipset: MagicEyes MMSP2 MP2520F System-on-a-chip
CPU: 200MHz ARM920T host processor, 200MHz ARM940T programmable coprocessor
NAND Flash ROM: 64 MB
RAM: SDRAM 64 MB
Operating System: GNU/Linux-based OS
Storage: SD Card (Latest firmware supports SDHC)
Connection to PC: USB 2.0 High Speed
USB Host: USB 1.1
Power: 2 AA battery or via AC adapter
Display: 320240 3.5inch, 65,536 colors TFT LCD
TV output
Physical size: 143.6mm wide, 82.9mm high, 27mm (excl. joystick approx.) / 34mm deep
Weight: 161 g (without battery)
GP2X
512
The ARM940T was used by GPH's implementation of Linux to control video processing. Using the 940T core in
Linux for other tasks apart from video processing is difficult but possible. Accessing the hardware directly makes it
easier to use both CPUs.
The F-200 version of the GP2X hardware replaced the joystick with a directional pad and adds a touchscreen.
Expandability
The GP2X had an expansion "EXT" port on the base of the unit into which a range of special cables (for USB host,
TV-out etc.) or break out box could be plugged, allowing four USB devices to be connected to and used with the
GP2X directly. The only thing limiting what can be used through this interface is the availability of drivers.
The connector used to expand the GP2X is hard to come by on its own but it is used with a few other devices. The
Samsung e810/e730 and LG U8110/20/30/36/38 mobile telephone data cables, along with the official GP2X TV-Out
adapter are suitable connectors.
This connector isn't proprietary; the specifications of this connector are fully open, encouraging home cable
construction.
TV output
The GP2X also supported TV-out with a special cable that plugs into the EXT port. This allows videos that are
normally scaled down to fit the GP2X's screen to be played at native resolution on a TV. It also lets software be
displayed on the higher resolution TV rather than the screen. Not all software supports this natively, but 3rd party
software exists that enables TV-out functionality in all applications. This is done by launching a background process.
Power
The GP2X requires 2 AA-sized batteries if not running from an external power supply. Due to the high current drain,
standard alkaline batteries will not function for very long in the GP2X; NiMH or lithium batteries are recommended.
Battery life varies depending on the type of activity being performed and can last anywhere from 10 minutes (using
alkaline batteries) to over 6 hours (using high-capacity NiMH batteries). When listening to music, power can be
conserved by turning off the backlight and display.
The GP2X has a socket for an external power supply. It must be rated 3.3V DC at 1A with a standard
center-grounded (negative center) connector. The power supply should be regulated, as voltage spikes can
permanently damage the unit.
Storage
The GP2X's primary storage device is the Secure Digital card, which can be placed into a socket at the top of the
unit. Older firmware only supported SD cards up to 4 GB in capacity. SD cards must be formatted as either FAT16,
FAT32 (32 is more reliable), or ext2. The GP2X also has 64 MB of internal flash memory storage, of which 32MB
can be used for user data.
From firmware release version 4.0 the GP2X F200 is capable of addressing the new SDHC standard and thus now
works with SDHC cards up to 32GB in size.
GP2X
513
Overclocking
The two ARM processors in the GP2X can be overclocked beyond their rated speed in software. The maximum
speed one can reach through overclocking varies from system to system, with about 1 in 50 reaching over 300MHz
and others barely reaching 240MHz (many systems can be overclocked beyond 240MHz with no problems. The
highest they are advertised to overclock to is 266MHz.)
Multimedia support
Video
Video formats: DivX 3/4/5, Xvid (MPEG-4)
Audio formats: MP3 and Vorbis
Container files: AVI and OGM (WMA and MPG via additional software)
Maximum Resolution: 720*480 (scaled to 320x240 screen resolution using built in scaling chip)
Captions: SMI, SRT
Battery Life: 3.5 hours average, longer times possible with high capacity batteries and with use of the power
saving modes within.
Audio
Audio Formats: MP3, Vorbis (more with alternative players)
Channels: Stereo
Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20kHz
Power output: 100mW
Sample Resolution/Rate: 16bit/848kHz
Equalizer: includes "Normal", "Classic", "Rock", "Jazz", "Pop" presets
Battery Life: ~6 hours (information given by manufacturer) with 2 x 2500mAh AA batteries.
Software
Because the tools required for development on the GP2X are freely available, there is a wealth of software available
for the GP2X, much of which is free. Types of software available includes emulators, games, PDA applications and
multimedia players.
Built-in software
The GP2X has several pieces of software built directly into the firmware. There is a version of MPlayer which is
used to play music and video, an image viewer, an e-book reader (which can display the contents of standard text
documents on-screen) and a utility to adjust the LCD update frequency to eliminate any flickering.
Other applications available (though not accessible directly through the menu) were a Samba server, for transferring
files to the machine using the default Windows network file sharing protocol; an HTTP server, for providing web
pages; an FTP server, a different way of transferring files; and telnet access allowing for direct command line access
from outside the machine. These servers operate over the included USB networking functionality, allowing one to
connect the GP2X to a wider network through a PC. The new GP2X-F200 supports none of these network programs.
Version 3.0.0 of the firmware comes with 5 games pre-installed in the NAND memory. The games are Payback
(demo), Noiz2sa, Flobopuyo, SuperTux, and Vektar (freeware version). This firmware is currently shipped with new
GP2Xs.
GP2X
514
Emulators
There are many emulators available for the GP2X which allow you to run software from other systems on the GP2X.
Many emulators will run most software perfectly and at the intended speed, but some others may have various issues
(often to do with speed or sound). Popular emulators include GnGeo which emulates the Neo Geo; GNUboy2x,
Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulators; MAME, an emulator of various arcade machines; DrMD, which
emulates the Sega Master System, Game Gear and Mega Drive/Genesis; SquidgeSNES and PocketSNES, which
emulate Super Nintendo games; and Picodrive, which emulates Mega Drive and Sega CD games; psx4all which
emulates PlayStation games. Stella, an emulator for the Atari 2600 has also been ported to the GP2X
Games
Main category: GP2X games
Since the GP2X has a much smaller following than other handheld consoles, such as the Sony PSP or the Nintendo
DS, there are very few commercial games available for it. At the time of writing,Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates
and numbers#Chronological items Vektar, Payback, Quartz, retrovirus RTS, Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles and
Blazar have been released as commercial games for the GP2X, and the games Odonata and Elsewhere were released
in October 2006 for Korean distribution only.
However, there are many ports of games from other platforms, mostly Linux, to the GP2X. Popular ports include
Super Tux and Frozen Bubble as well as the Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Doom engines (which can run the original
games if you own a copy with the correct data files). There are also hundreds of original freeware games such as Tile
Match and Beat2x, made by GP2X programmers in their spare time.
Multimedia players
There are several unofficial multimedia players available for the GP2X, intended to support more formats than the
built-in music and video players can handle. One such program is a port of FFPlay that allows you to play several
RealMedia and Windows Media formats. Since the release of the MPlayer source code, several unofficial builds
have been released for various purposes. One of these adds support for playing music in the AAC format.
Music Creation Tools
The GP2X natively runs the free homebrew application Little Game Park Tracker, a music tracker program which
was created by chip musician M-.-n specifically for the GP2X. Little Game Park Tracker, also known as LGPT or
Little Piggy Tracker, allows for sample-based music production with a myriad of sample tweaking abilities. LGPT
borrows the interface of the popular Game Boy music tracker Little Sound DJ. It has since been ported to the PSP,
Dingoo, Windows, OSX, and other platforms.
PDA Applications
Two popular PDA desktop environments have been ported to the GP2X: Qtopia and GPE. Both contain a range of
programs such as a web browser, word processor, etc. and can be controlled with either the GP2X controls or a USB
mouse and keyboard connected through a USB cable attached to the EXT port.
Open source development
SDKs (software development kits) are freely and easily available for the GP2X allowing anybody with the required
skills to write an application or game. Most SDKs are based around a gcc cross-compiler toolchain and SDL. SDL is
available for many systems, allowing for cross-compatibility of code with other platforms such as Microsoft
Windows and GNU/Linux.
GP2X
515
A port of the Allegro game programming library is also available for the GP2X, as are ports of the Fenix &
BennuGD game toolkits.
Other libraries under development include Minimal Library SDK, which allows for direct hardware access inside the
GP2X Linux environment, and sdk2x a set of libraries and a program which allows you to leave Linux completely
for total control of all the hardware with no operating system to interfere.
Currently in development is gpu940, a soft 3D renderer that can do many rendering types, including true perspective
texture mapping/lighting. It utilizes the ARM940T CPU of the GP2X, and allows for the GP2X to run basic OpenGL
functions. In January 2007, the renderer's OpenGL functions allowed for the 3D roleplaying game Egoboo to be
ported to the GP2X at a playable speed, and a month later updated with increased speed and added lighting effects.
GP2X executables
GP2X executable files have one of two 3 letters file extensions. For games, the .gpe extension is used. These are
listed in the Games section of the menu. Utilities have the extension .gpu, and appear in the Utilities section of the
menu; in firmware 3.0.0 they appear along with the games.
DRM controversy
There was debate before launch
[7]
over the implied inclusion of DRM in the GP2X. However, since release, the
GP2X platform was shown to be clear of any form of DRM.
References
[1] Martin, Joe. Gamepark GP2X F200 released at last (http:/ / www. bit-tech. net/ news/ 2007/ 10/ 30/ gamepark_gp2x_f200_released_at_last/
1). Bit-tech. October 30, 2007. Accessed on: Sept. 15, 2008.
[2] Schmalenstroer, M. In die Box geschaut - Der neue Handheld Pandora im Hands-On (http:/ / www. planetds. de/ index. php?page=artikel&
artikel=pandora). Planet DS. August 20, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008. ( English translation (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/
index. php?act=ST& f=62& t=43680))
[3] Mrozek, Michael. Post on GP32x.com forum (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/ index. php?s=& showtopic=43816& view=findpost&
p=641396). August 31, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008.
[4] [[Slashdot (http:/ / mobile.slashdot.org/ mobile/ 08/ 08/ 26/ 170222. shtml)] article about the "Wiz"]
[5] http:/ / www. vocamaster. com/ event/ event.html
[6] Rothwell, Craig. Post on GP32X.com forums (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/ index. php?s=& showtopic=43844& view=findpost&
p=642057). September 1, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008.
[7] Linux-based handheld has DRM?! - Boing Boing (http:/ / www. boingboing. net/ 2005/ 09/ 20/ linuxbased_handheld_. html)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GP2X.
Developer and User Wiki Site (http:/ / wiki. gp2x. org/ wiki/ Main_Page)
GP2X (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Handheld_Platforms/ Game_Park) at DMOZ
GP2X Software Archive (http:/ / dl. openhandhelds. org/ cgi-bin/ gp2x. cgi)
http:/ / www. console-spot. com/ 2006/ 02/ 21/ gp2x-review/
Archive of older versions of emulators for GP2X and GP32 (http:/ / oldman2x. com/ )
GP2X Wiz
516
GP2X Wiz
GP2X Wiz
Retail availability May 12, 2009
Media SD card
CPU 533 MHz Host ARM9
Predecessor GP2X
Successor
Caanoo
[1]
The GP2X Wiz is an open source hardware handheld game console and portable media player developed by South
Korean company GamePark Holdings running a Linux kernel-based embedded operating system. It was released on
May 12, 2009, and was also the first console from both Game Park and Game Park Holdings to be also released
outside South Korea. It is the successor to the GP2X.
Overview
An image of the Wiz system was first leaked on the web in late July 2008. Rumors had been circulating that
GamePark Holdings was in the process of making a new handheld, since they had abruptly discontinued production
of its first handheld, the GP2X, in late June/early July.
On August 26, 2008, GamePark Holdings announced that it was planning to release a new handheld, named the Wiz.
Along with the announcement, a brochure detailing a great amount of launch information was released, complete
with the system's specs.
[2]
The brochure stated that new games would be released every month for the system; This is
a deviation from the GP2X, which did not have many commercial games. However, the Wiz still appears to be
primarily advertised as an open-source system, meant for homebrew development of games and emulators.
On September 2, 2008, it was reported that the GP2X Wiz's button layout was to be revised, and the second D-Pad
on the right-hand side of the system was to be removed. In order to make these design changes, the release of the
system was to be pushed back to November 2008.
Around the last week of April 2009, GamePark shipped test units of the GP2X Wiz. These are thought to be the final
hardware revision before the actual product launch.
Retailers for the GP2X Wiz stated that they planned to begin shipping the GP2X Wiz as soon as October 8, 2008. As
of May 2009[3], retailers are listing the price of the Wiz at $179.99 USD.
[4]
The GP2X Wiz started shipping as of
May 13, 2009.
[5]
Official accessories for the GP2X Wiz include the Accessory Kit (which comes with an SD card case, a wrist strap,
and a spare stylus), a screen protector, and a Genuine Leather Case.
[6]
The successor of GP2X Wiz is GP2X Caanoo.
GP2X Wiz
517
Myungtendo
In February 2009, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak had stated that "Korea needs to develop a video game
console like a Nintendo DS". This statement was parodied with the "Myungtendo MB", an obvious rip-off of the
Nintendo DS. While completely unrelated to the Myungtendo incident, the GP2X Wiz is often nicknamed as the
"Myungtendo", due to its release shortly after the statement.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Hardware
Specifications
Chipset: MagicEyes Pollux System-on-a-Chip VR3520F
CPU: 533MHz ARM926TEJ (overclockable to 900MHz, however the system can become unstable over
750MHz)
NAND Flash Memory: 1 GB
RAM: DDR SDRAM 64 MB
Storage: SD Card (SDHC support)
USB Host: USB 1.1
Power: Internal 2000mAh Lithium Polymer Battery (approx. 7 hours game/video playback)
Display: 320x240 2.8-inch (71mm) AMOLED Touch Screen
Stereo audio DAC: Cirrus Logic 43L22
Embedded Microphone
Physical size: 121mm (4.8") wide, 61mm (2.4") high, 18mm (0.7") deep
Weight: 98 g (without battery), 136 g (with battery)
3D Acceleration (GPU embedded on Pollux)
Chipset supports OpenGL ES 1.1
133M Texel/sec, 1.33M Polygon/sec.
[7]
Based on the specs released by GamePark Holdings, the Wiz appears to have a considerably more slim and compact
form factor than that of the GP2X. The Wiz also has a fairly large amount of built in flash memory, which GamePark
has stated will be used to hold games that will be included with the system. OLED screens are supposed to have a
much faster response time than that of standard LCD screens, as well as increased brightness and an increased
viewing angle.
Multimedia support
Video
Container files: AVI
Video formats: DivX, XviD, MPEG4, AVI and others via software: flv, mp4, mkv...
Audio formats: MP3, WAV and others via software.
Maximum Resolution: 640*480
Maximum Frame Rate: 30 frame/s
Maximum Video Bitrate: 2500kbit/s
Maximum Audio Bitrate: 384kbit/s
Captions: SMI
GP2X Wiz
518
Audio
Audio formats: MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WAV (more via software)
Channels: Stereo
Power output: 100mW
Sample Resolution/Rate: 16bit/848kHz, in 8bit/22kHz
Photos
Supports JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP File Formats (more via software)
Flash Player
The Wiz also has Flash Player 8 with Action Script 2.0 support, allowing it to play popular flash games from the
Internet.
Games
The Wiz can run many emulators, freeware games, flash games, and applications.
The GP2X Wiz comes pre-installed with a number of games on the NAND.
IQ Jump
This is a collection of 5 brain training style games.
Look for the same pictures
Look for the missing number
Addition and Subtraction
Look for the coin in the saving pocket
Crisis Ladder
Animatch by Ruckage
Square Tower Defence by Alex
[8]
Wiztern by Chemaris
Myriad by WarmFluffyUK
Tail Tale by Rerofumi
Boomshine2x by PeterR
Space Varments by Ruckage
Originally a game called Snake on Dope was shipped with the unit, and may have been removed due to
copyright issues relating to the music.
Upcoming Games in 2011
SORR (Streets of Rage Remake) A fan made tribute to all SOR Games developed by BomberGames took 8
years to make and was released in June 2011 as freeware. (SEGA Blocked its release *See Below*)
[9]
Sega are in current negotiations with BomberGames. For the time being SEGA has blocked the game's
release, BomberGames are looking for a speedy resolution
GP2X Wiz
519
References
[1] Engadget article about Caanoo presentation at E3 2010 (http:/ / www. engadget. com/ 2010/ 07/ 12/
gameparks-gp2x-caanoo-handheld-hits-this-august-picks-up-where/ )
[2] GP2X Wiz Brochure (http:/ / gp2x-emulation.dcemu.co. uk/ Wizintroduction. jpg)
[3] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=GP2X_Wiz& action=edit
[4] GP2X Store product page (http:/ / www. gp2xstore.com/ gp2x-wiz-handheld-linux-game-console. html).
[5] Play-Asia Product Page (http:/ / www. play-asia.com/ paOS-13-71-d1-49-en-70-2z59. html).
[6] http:/ / www. play-asia. com/ paOS-14-71-d1-49-en. html Play-Asia has listed the prices as $18.90 USD for the accessory kit, $8.90 USD for
the Leather Case, and $4.90 for the screen protector.
[7] Magic Eyes product page for the Pollux (http:/ / www.mesdigital. com/ english/ Products/ product_pollux. asp).
[8] Sqdef (http:/ / alxm. org/ games/ sqdef.html). Alxm.org. Retrieved on 2013-10-06.
[9] News for Nov. 11th, 2009 (http:/ / www.bombergames. net/ sorr_project/ 2009/ 11/ ), Bombergames.net, retrieved at 2013-09-21
External links
GP32x Community Website (http:/ / www. gp32x. com)
Wiz File Archive (http:/ / dl. openhandhelds. org/ cgi-bin/ wiz. cgi)
WizMania (http:/ / wizmania. fr)
Gp2x-Wiz.net Spanish news and reviews (http:/ / www. gp2x-wiz. net)
Emuboards Wiz News (http:/ / www. emuboards. com)
PDRoms Wiz News (http:/ / pdroms. de/ news/ wiz/ ) & Wiz Files (http:/ / pdroms. de/ files/ wiz/ ?page=1)
Blog Site Covering GP2X Wiz (http:/ / play-asia-rulez. blogspot. com/ search/ label/ gp2x wiz)
Wiz wiki (http:/ / gp2xwiz. co. uk/ wiki/ Main_Page)
Wiz News & Development (French/franais) (http:/ / gueux-forum. net/ index. php?& showforum=289)
Open-source gaming goes commercial with Wiz handheld (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ gaming/ 2008/ 08/
open-source-gaming-goes-commercial-with-wiz-handheld/ ), 27 August 2008, Frank Caron, Ars Technica
Game Wave Family Entertainment System
520
Manufacturer ZAPiT Games
Units sold
70,000 (as of 2008[1])
Media DVD-ROM
The Game Wave Family Entertainment System is a hybrid DVD player and video game console. It was first
released in Canada in October 2005. It is part of the seventh generation of gaming.
Unlike the main consoles (such as the PS3), the Game Wave is aimed at a more family friendly market: a majority of
its games are trivia based or video versions of more traditional games (such as variants of Scrabble and Blackjack).
The Game Wave can connect up to 6 controllers (which look like TV remotes) but comes with 4. Each controller has
a different color (yellow, red, blue, green, purple, and orange) to help players tell them apart. It comes with a case
that can hold all 6 remotes and a copy of 4 Degrees: The Arc of Trivia, Vol. 1.
Titles
Trivia:
4 Degrees - The Arc of Trivia
4 Degrees - Volume 2
4 Degrees - Bible Edition
Re-wind
Re-wind 2005
Re-wind 2006
All games are a little old so answers to questions might be FALSE.**
Number Games:
Lock 5
Zap 21
Sudoku
Word Games:
Letter Zap!
Click!
Puzzle Games:
Gemz
VeggieTales
521
References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Game_Wave_Family_Entertainment_System& action=edit
(http:/ / www. gamerdad. com/ detail. cfm?itemID=3828), GamerDad.com Game with the whole family
External links
Official site (http:/ / playgamewave. com/ index. cfm)
Game Wave (http:/ / ultimateconsoledatabase. com/ modern/ zapit_game_wave. htm)
Game Wave DVD system lets families play together (http:/ / www. usatoday. com/ tech/ columnist/
jinnygudmundsen/ 2006-05-19-game-wave_x. htm)
Game Wave: New Approach to DVD Games (http:/ / boardgames. about. com/ b/ a/ 229901. htm)
Game Wave - Video Game Review (http:/ / www. commonsensemedia. org/ game-reviews/ Game-Wave. html)
GP2X
522
GP2X
GP2X
Retail availability November 10, 2005 (South Korea only)
Media Secure Digital card
CPU Dual CPU: 200 MHz Host ARM920T 200 MHz ARM940T
Predecessor GP32
Successor GP2X Wiz
The GP2X is an open source hardware, Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player
developed by South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on November 10, 2005, in South Korea
only.
The GP2X is designed for homebrew developers as well as commercial developers. It is commonly used to run
emulators for classic game consoles such as Neo Geo, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear,
Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, MAME and others.
Overview
The GP2X was designed to play music and videos, view photos, and play games. It had an open architecture (Linux
based), allowing anybody to develop and run software. Also, there was the possibility for additional features (such as
support for new media formats) to be added in the future due to the upgradeable firmware.
A popular use of the GP2X was to run emulators, which allows one to use software from a video game of another
system on the GP2X.
GP2X
523
History
The new model "F200" with touchscreen stylus
Shortly after the release of the GP32 in 2001, its maker Game Park
began to design their next handheld. A disagreement within the
company about the general direction of this system prompted many of
the staff Wikipedia:Citation needed to leave and create their own
company, GamePark Holdings, to produce a 2D-based handheld
system which they saw as the sequel to the GP32.
GamePark Holdings spoke to previous GP32 distributors and
developers to determine the specifications for the new machine and
how it should be promoted. Meetings were held in Seoul, Korea, where
the final design of the new console was agreed upon.
The first name of this console was the GPX2. However, it couldn't be used as a final name due to a possible
trademark violation with the name of a Japanese printer, the GPX. A contest for a new name was announced on
August 3, 2005. Around 1500 names were submitted in total. The winner of the competition was Matt Bakse who
chose the title GP2X. For this he was awarded a free GP2X console, although delivery of his prize was rather
delayed.
The GP2X has seen several minor hardware updates, most notably the changes from the First Edition to Normal
Edition and the Normal Edition to the MK2. Also, a new version called the "F200" was released October 30, 2007
[1]
and features a touchscreen, among other changes.
As of October 16, 2006, the GP2X had sold 30,000 units. On August 31, 2008, the CEO of Gamepark Holdings told
German GP2X distributor Michael Mrozek (aka. EvilDragon
[2]
) that 60,000 GP2X units had been sold.
[3]
On 26 August 2008, GamePark Holdings announced the successor to the GP2X, the "Wiz".
[4]
As of September 1, a version of the GP2X is still being sold in Korea by Vocamaster that is geared toward Koreans
who wish to learn English.
[5]
In fact, according to the official GP2X distributor for the UK, Craig Rothwell, most
GP2X units sold to date have been sold through Vocamaster as English-learning tools.
[6]
Hardware
Specifications
From http:/ / dl. openhandhelds. org/ cgi-bin/ gp2x. cgi:
Chipset: MagicEyes MMSP2 MP2520F System-on-a-chip
CPU: 200MHz ARM920T host processor, 200MHz ARM940T programmable coprocessor
NAND Flash ROM: 64 MB
RAM: SDRAM 64 MB
Storage: SD Card (Latest firmware supports SDHC)
USB Host: USB 1.1
Power: 2 AA battery or via AC adapter
Display: 320240 3.5inch, 65,536 colors TFT LCD
TV output
Physical size: 143.6mm wide, 82.9mm high, 27mm (excl. joystick approx.) / 34mm deep
Weight: 161 g (without battery)
GP2X
524
The ARM940T was used by GPH's implementation of Linux to control video processing. Using the 940T core in
Linux for other tasks apart from video processing is difficult but possible. Accessing the hardware directly makes it
easier to use both CPUs.
The F-200 version of the GP2X hardware replaced the joystick with a directional pad and adds a touchscreen.
Expandability
The GP2X had an expansion "EXT" port on the base of the unit into which a range of special cables (for USB host,
TV-out etc.) or break out box could be plugged, allowing four USB devices to be connected to and used with the
GP2X directly. The only thing limiting what can be used through this interface is the availability of drivers.
The connector used to expand the GP2X is hard to come by on its own but it is used with a few other devices. The
Samsung e810/e730 and LG U8110/20/30/36/38 mobile telephone data cables, along with the official GP2X TV-Out
adapter are suitable connectors.
This connector isn't proprietary; the specifications of this connector are fully open, encouraging home cable
construction.
TV output
The GP2X also supported TV-out with a special cable that plugs into the EXT port. This allows videos that are
normally scaled down to fit the GP2X's screen to be played at native resolution on a TV. It also lets software be
displayed on the higher resolution TV rather than the screen. Not all software supports this natively, but 3rd party
software exists that enables TV-out functionality in all applications. This is done by launching a background process.
Power
The GP2X requires 2 AA-sized batteries if not running from an external power supply. Due to the high current drain,
standard alkaline batteries will not function for very long in the GP2X; NiMH or lithium batteries are recommended.
Battery life varies depending on the type of activity being performed and can last anywhere from 10 minutes (using
alkaline batteries) to over 6 hours (using high-capacity NiMH batteries). When listening to music, power can be
conserved by turning off the backlight and display.
The GP2X has a socket for an external power supply. It must be rated 3.3V DC at 1A with a standard
center-grounded (negative center) connector. The power supply should be regulated, as voltage spikes can
permanently damage the unit.
Storage
The GP2X's primary storage device is the Secure Digital card, which can be placed into a socket at the top of the
unit. Older firmware only supported SD cards up to 4 GB in capacity. SD cards must be formatted as either FAT16,
FAT32 (32 is more reliable), or ext2. The GP2X also has 64 MB of internal flash memory storage, of which 32MB
can be used for user data.
From firmware release version 4.0 the GP2X F200 is capable of addressing the new SDHC standard and thus now
works with SDHC cards up to 32GB in size.
GP2X
525
Overclocking
The two ARM processors in the GP2X can be overclocked beyond their rated speed in software. The maximum
speed one can reach through overclocking varies from system to system, with about 1 in 50 reaching over 300MHz
and others barely reaching 240MHz (many systems can be overclocked beyond 240MHz with no problems. The
highest they are advertised to overclock to is 266MHz.)
Multimedia support
Video
Video formats: DivX 3/4/5, Xvid (MPEG-4)
Audio formats: MP3 and Vorbis
Container files: AVI and OGM (WMA and MPG via additional software)
Maximum Resolution: 720*480 (scaled to 320x240 screen resolution using built in scaling chip)
Captions: SMI, SRT
Battery Life: 3.5 hours average, longer times possible with high capacity batteries and with use of the power
saving modes within.
Audio
Audio Formats: MP3, Vorbis (more with alternative players)
Channels: Stereo
Power output: 100mW
Sample Resolution/Rate: 16bit/848kHz
Equalizer: includes "Normal", "Classic", "Rock", "Jazz", "Pop" presets
Battery Life: ~6 hours (information given by manufacturer) with 2 x 2500mAh AA batteries.
Software
Because the tools required for development on the GP2X are freely available, there is a wealth of software available
for the GP2X, much of which is free. Types of software available includes emulators, games, PDA applications and
multimedia players.
Built-in software
The GP2X has several pieces of software built directly into the firmware. There is a version of MPlayer which is
used to play music and video, an image viewer, an e-book reader (which can display the contents of standard text
documents on-screen) and a utility to adjust the LCD update frequency to eliminate any flickering.
Other applications available (though not accessible directly through the menu) were a Samba server, for transferring
files to the machine using the default Windows network file sharing protocol; an HTTP server, for providing web
pages; an FTP server, a different way of transferring files; and telnet access allowing for direct command line access
from outside the machine. These servers operate over the included USB networking functionality, allowing one to
connect the GP2X to a wider network through a PC. The new GP2X-F200 supports none of these network programs.
Version 3.0.0 of the firmware comes with 5 games pre-installed in the NAND memory. The games are Payback
(demo), Noiz2sa, Flobopuyo, SuperTux, and Vektar (freeware version). This firmware is currently shipped with new
GP2Xs.
GP2X
526
Emulators
There are many emulators available for the GP2X which allow you to run software from other systems on the GP2X.
Many emulators will run most software perfectly and at the intended speed, but some others may have various issues
(often to do with speed or sound). Popular emulators include GnGeo which emulates the Neo Geo; GNUboy2x,
Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulators; MAME, an emulator of various arcade machines; DrMD, which
emulates the Sega Master System, Game Gear and Mega Drive/Genesis; SquidgeSNES and PocketSNES, which
emulate Super Nintendo games; and Picodrive, which emulates Mega Drive and Sega CD games; psx4all which
emulates PlayStation games. Stella, an emulator for the Atari 2600 has also been ported to the GP2X
Games
Main category: GP2X games
Since the GP2X has a much smaller following than other handheld consoles, such as the Sony PSP or the Nintendo
DS, there are very few commercial games available for it. At the time of writing,Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates
and numbers#Chronological items Vektar, Payback, Quartz, retrovirus RTS, Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles and
Blazar have been released as commercial games for the GP2X, and the games Odonata and Elsewhere were released
in October 2006 for Korean distribution only.
However, there are many ports of games from other platforms, mostly Linux, to the GP2X. Popular ports include
Super Tux and Frozen Bubble as well as the Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Doom engines (which can run the original
games if you own a copy with the correct data files). There are also hundreds of original freeware games such as Tile
Match and Beat2x, made by GP2X programmers in their spare time.
Multimedia players
There are several unofficial multimedia players available for the GP2X, intended to support more formats than the
built-in music and video players can handle. One such program is a port of FFPlay that allows you to play several
RealMedia and Windows Media formats. Since the release of the MPlayer source code, several unofficial builds
have been released for various purposes. One of these adds support for playing music in the AAC format.
Music Creation Tools
The GP2X natively runs the free homebrew application Little Game Park Tracker, a music tracker program which
was created by chip musician M-.-n specifically for the GP2X. Little Game Park Tracker, also known as LGPT or
Little Piggy Tracker, allows for sample-based music production with a myriad of sample tweaking abilities. LGPT
borrows the interface of the popular Game Boy music tracker Little Sound DJ. It has since been ported to the PSP,
Dingoo, Windows, OSX, and other platforms.
PDA Applications
Two popular PDA desktop environments have been ported to the GP2X: Qtopia and GPE. Both contain a range of
programs such as a web browser, word processor, etc. and can be controlled with either the GP2X controls or a USB
mouse and keyboard connected through a USB cable attached to the EXT port.
Open source development
SDKs (software development kits) are freely and easily available for the GP2X allowing anybody with the required
skills to write an application or game. Most SDKs are based around a gcc cross-compiler toolchain and SDL. SDL is
available for many systems, allowing for cross-compatibility of code with other platforms such as Microsoft
Windows and GNU/Linux.
GP2X
527
A port of the Allegro game programming library is also available for the GP2X, as are ports of the Fenix &
BennuGD game toolkits.
Other libraries under development include Minimal Library SDK, which allows for direct hardware access inside the
GP2X Linux environment, and sdk2x a set of libraries and a program which allows you to leave Linux completely
for total control of all the hardware with no operating system to interfere.
Currently in development is gpu940, a soft 3D renderer that can do many rendering types, including true perspective
texture mapping/lighting. It utilizes the ARM940T CPU of the GP2X, and allows for the GP2X to run basic OpenGL
functions. In January 2007, the renderer's OpenGL functions allowed for the 3D roleplaying game Egoboo to be
ported to the GP2X at a playable speed, and a month later updated with increased speed and added lighting effects.
GP2X executables
GP2X executable files have one of two 3 letters file extensions. For games, the .gpe extension is used. These are
listed in the Games section of the menu. Utilities have the extension .gpu, and appear in the Utilities section of the
menu; in firmware 3.0.0 they appear along with the games.
DRM controversy
There was debate before launch
[7]
over the implied inclusion of DRM in the GP2X. However, since release, the
GP2X platform was shown to be clear of any form of DRM.
References
[1] Martin, Joe. Gamepark GP2X F200 released at last (http:/ / www. bit-tech. net/ news/ 2007/ 10/ 30/ gamepark_gp2x_f200_released_at_last/
1). Bit-tech. October 30, 2007. Accessed on: Sept. 15, 2008.
[2] Schmalenstroer, M. In die Box geschaut - Der neue Handheld Pandora im Hands-On (http:/ / www. planetds. de/ index. php?page=artikel&
artikel=pandora). Planet DS. August 20, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008. ( English translation (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/
index. php?act=ST& f=62& t=43680))
[3] Mrozek, Michael. Post on GP32x.com forum (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/ index. php?s=& showtopic=43816& view=findpost&
p=641396). August 31, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008.
[4] [[Slashdot (http:/ / mobile.slashdot.org/ mobile/ 08/ 08/ 26/ 170222. shtml)] article about the "Wiz"]
[5] http:/ / www. vocamaster. com/ event/ event.html
[6] Rothwell, Craig. Post on GP32X.com forums (http:/ / www. gp32x. com/ board/ index. php?s=& showtopic=43844& view=findpost&
p=642057). September 1, 2008. Accessed on: September 5, 2008.
[7] Linux-based handheld has DRM?! - Boing Boing (http:/ / www. boingboing. net/ 2005/ 09/ 20/ linuxbased_handheld_. html)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GP2X.
Developer and User Wiki Site (http:/ / wiki. gp2x. org/ wiki/ Main_Page)
GP2X (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Handheld_Platforms/ Game_Park) at DMOZ
GP2X Software Archive (http:/ / dl. openhandhelds. org/ cgi-bin/ gp2x. cgi)
http:/ / www. console-spot. com/ 2006/ 02/ 21/ gp2x-review/
HyperScan
528
HyperScan
HyperScan
Manufacturer Mattel
Discontinued 2007
Media CD-ROM
CPU Sunplus SPG290 SoC
Storage RFID cards
Graphics Sunplus SPG290 SoC
Best-selling game X-Men (In Pack)
Predecessor Intellivision
HyperScan is a video game console from Mattel. It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology along
with traditional video game technology. It was marketed toward boys between the ages of five and nine who were
not ready for high-end video games in terms of maturity or expense, though ironically the included game was rated T
by the ESRB. The console used UDF format CD-ROMs. The HyperScan has two controller ports, as well as a
13.56MHz RFID scanner that reads and writes to the "cards" which, in turn, activate features in and save data from
the game. Players are able to enhance the abilities of their characters by scanning cards. Games retailed for $19.99
and the console itself for $69.99 at launch, but at the end of its very short lifespan, prices of the system were down to
$9.99, the games $1.99, and booster packs $0.99.
The system was sold in two varieties, a cube, and a 2-player value pack. The cube box version was the version sold
in stores. It included the system, controller, an X-Men game disc, and 6 X-Men cards. Two player value packs were
sold online (but may have been liquidated in stores) and included an extra controller and 12 additional X-Men cards.
The system was discontinued in 2007, shortly after its release, and is featured as one of the ten worst systems ever by
PC World magazine.
The RFID tag silicon for the contactless game cards, and the RFID tag and reader designs were provided by
Innovision Research and Technology plc, a fabless semiconductor design house based in the UK which specializes in
RFID systems and chip design.
HyperScan
529
Games
Five games are known to be released for the HyperScan. The released games are X-Men, Ben 10, Interstellar
Wrestling League, Marvel Heroes, and Spider-Man. A sixth game called Avatar the Last Airbender was announced
and may have been released in small quantities. There was going to be a seventh game called Nick Extreme Sports
but it was cancelled.
The X-Men game is a fighting game in which two characters face off against each other in self-contained matches.
Marvel Heroes, which includes some X-Men characters, is a side-scroller, adventure quest.
The Ben 10 game is similar to "Marvel Heroes", the Spider-Man game is also similar to the Ben 10 and Marvel
Heroes game.
Interstellar Wrestling League is a sort of 2v2 Fighting Game similar to Tekken, but with strange, alien-like
characters.
Hardware specifications
Sunplus SPG290 SoC
UART, IC, SPI etc.
Composite Video Output (SoC supports TFT display, but the HS does not use it)
16 MB SDRAM system RAM
640480 native resolution
65,535 colors (RGB 565 mode)
1 USB port
RFID Scanner (13.56MHz)
RFID Storage: 96 bytes of user memory + 8 bytes unique ID + 6 bytes of one time programmable memory
References
External links
Mattel Hyperscan - Ultimate Console Database (http:/ / ultimateconsoledatabase. com/ modern/
mattel_hyperscan. htm)
N-Gage
530
N-Gage
"N-Gage 2" and "second generation N-Gage" redirect here. For the redesign of the N-Gage console, see N-Gage QD.
N-Gage
Developer Nokia
Type Mobile gaming service
Launch date February 4, 2008 (pre-release)
April 3, 2008 (full release)
Platform Nokia Symbian S60 smartphones
Status Discontinued
Website
www.n-gage.com
[1]
(no longer active)
The N-Gage service (also referred to as N-Gage 2.0) was Nokia's mobile gaming platform that is available for
several Symbian S60 smartphones from Nokia. N-Gage provided numerous high-quality games with 3D graphics
into an application featuring online (via N-Gage Arena) and social features, to deliver a great mobile gaming
experience. It ran on compatible S60 Nokia smartphones. It takes its name from the N-Gage gaming smartphone,
which it succeeded.
On 30 October 2009, Nokia announced that no new N-Gage games will be produced, and the N-Gage service had
ceased at the end of 2010. A total of 49 games were released for it. Games can still be downloaded (from third-party
sources) and played, but the N-Gage application itself no longer function.
The following phones are officially compatible with the N-Gage platform: Nokia N78, N79, N81, N81 8GB, N82,
N85, N86, N86 8MP, N95, N95 8GB, N96, N97, Nokia 5320 XpressMusic, 5630 XpressMusic, 5730 XpressMusic
Nokia 6210 Navigator,
[2]
6710 Navigator, 6720 Classic, E52, E55 and E75. Due to memory issues, hinted in an
interview in February 2008, support for the Nokia N73, N93 and N93i was cancelled.
Background
Nokia's N-Gage gaming smartphone from 2003 did not perform as well as expected, and its upgraded QD version
didn't improve it either. Instead of developing a new gaming device, there was a change in concept as Nokia
explained to the world during E3 2005 that they were planning to put a N-Gage platform on several smartphone
devices, rather than releasing a specific device (although their N81 model with its two dedicated gaming-buttons
next to the screen is being marketed as a phone built for gaming). It was often nicknamed as N-Gage Next
Generation by the public.
Working behind closed doors, it took a little more than a year before, at E3 2006, finally announcing the N-Gage
mobile gaming service, set for a 2007 release.
[3][4]
They also started showing off next-gen titles such as System
Rush: Evolution and Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep, with the fighting game ONE perhaps being the most
visually impressiveeven making use of motion capture.
In February 2007, Nokia announced a pilot service in Finland to promote the upcoming service.
[5]
Nokia showed off
previews of the service at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California.
On 27 August 2007, Nokia confirmed a previously leaked N-Gage logo is the official logo for the upcoming
service.
[6]
Jaakko Kaidesoja was the head of N-Gage's development.
N-Gage
531
Launch
The N-Gage gaming service in its final form was finally announced by Nokia on 29 August 2007. Nokia used the
tagline Get out and play to promote the platform.
[7]
It was supposed to be released in December 2007, but it was
delayed as Nokia's team were making sure the service ran 'smoothly'.
[8]
First Access
A public beta test of the N-Gage application took place from 4 February 2008 to 27 March 2008, though limited only
for the N81. This period of time was referred to as "First Access" and only a public test of the client which could be
downloaded for free from the N-Gage website. While not the final version, the user had access to most of the
features that the new application had to offer along with three games to try out: Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep,
System Rush: Evolution and Space Impact Kappa Base.
[9]
Later in February, Nokia also released Tetris, Block
Breaker Deluxe and World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge for the users to try out.
[10]
None of the games are entirely
free but all offer a limited trial for testing purposes. In order to experience the full game it has to be either purchased
or rented.
Shortly after being released to the public, hackers managed to unpack the N-Gage installation file nto components,
which can then be installed separately, thus removing N81-only limitation. N-Gage was subsequently reported
working on other Nokia Nseries devices, such as N73 and N95. In response, Nokia released an advisory asking users
not to install this unsupported version as it could cause errors or other issues.
On 20 March, the official N-Gage Blog reported that First Access would come to an end on 27 March, though all
downloaded games at that time would still be playable through the application until the updated version was
releasedwhich occurred on 3 April.
[11]
Release
After numerous delays and many vague release dates, the N-Gage platform was finally (and also quite suddenly)
released to the public on 3 April 2008 through the N-Gage official website
[1]
, though only five phone models are
compatible to begin with. This probably has to do with the older models being less powerful as was pointed out in an
interview earlier the same year whereas an N-Gage representative mentioned some memory issues with the N73. The
launch titles also changed from six to only five: Asphalt 3: Street Rules, Brain Challenge, Hooked On: Creatures of
the Deep, System Rush: Evolution, and World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge. The first two weren't even on the
original list but Block Breaker Deluxe and Tetris instead. The sixth game that was postponed was Space Impact
Kappa Base.
After release
Some hours after the launch, Ikona, the man behind the official N-Gage Blog had this to say about the delay: "We
are currently ensuring Block Breaker Deluxe, Space Impact Kappa Base, and Tetris are running smoothly with our
new application. These should be available in the showroom next week or two."
Four days later, on 7 April - Nokia posted their official press release commenting on the release of their new mobile
service, and at which point FIFA 08 also became available for purchase.
With this release, the official website also saw a small change in appearance with price tags added to all games
available for download, an event calendar, a tab for support on both the application itself and N-Gage compatible
devices and much more. Players logged onto the website could now also see their Reputation level, N-Gage level,
and gathered N-Gage points.
There was also a release party held at the N-Gage chat room shortly after the release, with several members from the
N-Gage team attending to answer any questions asked. A few t-shirts were randomly handed out during the three
hour long event and everyone was also promised a few N-Gage points for coming to the "party".
As expected, the launch was not problem-free but numerous people reported having trouble downloading,
purchasing and activating games, installing the application and logging on to the N-Gage Arena.
N-Gage
532
Compatibility
Because N-Gage is a software based solution, the first generation MMC games are not compatible with the new
platform,
[12]
though some games are making a comeback in form of a sequel (e.g. System Rush: Evolution) or a
remake/port (e.g. Mile High Pinball). Similarly, games developed for this next-gen N-Gage platform do not work on
the original N-Gage nor N-Gage QD, adding to the fact that newer S60 software, including the N-Gage client and
games, aren't binary-compatible with older S60 devices and vice-versa.
The N-Gage application
The application home screen on a Nokia N78
With a user interface that resembles Microsofts Xbox Live service, at the
top of the N-Gage launcher there are five icons that can be navigated
through by simply pressing left and right on the phones thumb pad.
These represent your games library, profile, friends list, and the
showroomall as explained thoroughly below.
Home
The launcher welcomes the user with a Home screen where the last game
played is shown along with some quick links to your friends, progress
(score table), the Featured Game that Nokia wants to "highlight" for this
week, and your Inbox for messaging within the launcher.
My Games
This screen shows all the games that are currently installed on the
phonebe it a Trial version or the full game (purchased or rented). The
ones that are trial versions have a pink stripe that says "TRIAL" to the far
right of the game icon, overlapping what looks somewhat like a battery
meter that, once you pay for the game, illustrates your progress with that
game. At the bottom of the list of installed games is a quick link (Get
More Games) that takes you to the showroom.
Games that are not paid for will show a pop-up every time you play
itasking whether youd like to try the free trial or either purchase, enter
an unlock code (purchased or given through promotions), or rent the
game. More on this below.
From this screen, the user may also rate any of the games downloaded from 1 to 5 stars, as well as write a small
verdict on it.
My Profile
The next tab is your profile which shows how many N-Gage points youve scored so far from playing, your
reputation level (ranging between 1-5 stars), the number of friends you have enlisted, and your chosen avatar/picture
to represent you (will display a white silhouette of a person with an orange background per default). Further down is
your current status (offline, online or awaythe last two can each be assigned with a personal message), N-Gage
Point Level, and a list of what games you have played (Gaming History). Selecting one will not only display how
many points youve gathered within the chosen gamebut also show how well your friends are doing with the same
game. From here, users are also able to look at what achievements have been unlockedor Point Pickups as theyre
called.
N-Gage
533
My Friends
This is where you go to add a friend to your friends list as well as check them all out. Once highlighted, you may
choose to view recent conversations with the player, send them a message, view his or her profile, and rate the
player. Messages can be sent regardless of whether the player is currently online or not and your friends list can be
sorted by name, availability/status, or N-Gage points gathered.
Showroom
The Showroom displays all games that are available for download as well as Game Extras for expanding a game
with extra content, such as downloading new episodes/adventures for the adventure game Dirk Dagger. Games may
be browsed by genre, latest arrivals, or just in alphabetical order. Select a game and youre able to read a small
(though maybe not very informative) description of it along with details on how big it is, estimated time for
downloading the game, the number of supported players, who the publisher is etc. Here you may also read what
other players think of the game and view their ratings.
Payment can be made by either using a credit card or paying through the phone bill (network operator). Apart from
actually purchasing a game, theres also an option of renting onewhere you only need to pay a few euro or dollars
in order to get full access for a limited time of either 24 hours or a whole week. When purchased, the games are tied
to the users account and can be re-downloaded if deleted for some reason.
Games can be downloaded directly to the phone over the air (by GPRS or WiFi), or the user may choose to
download it to a computer and then install it onto the phone using a USB-cable and Nokia PC Suite.
Reception
There have been a lot of hands-on articles with the First Access client and they all generally reflect both the positive
and negative feedback of the official First Access forum
[13]
, where N81 users shared their thoughts on what was
good and what could've been made betterregarding both the launcher itself and the games currently available. The
biggest issues at that point was that of players not being able to "activate" a purchased game but still having only the
trial version to play. A lot of players have also been reporting connection issues.
Head of New Experience, Nokia Play, Jaakko Kaidesoja had this to say to Pocket Gamer in an interview on 21
February 2008 when asked about what early feedback they had received:
"The feedback has been positive and well received within the company and some critical comments
were well received as well. We know it's not perfect yet and there are some features people want more
of. Those are the things we want to check and get on the roadmap."
Game reviews
The games themselves have received an overall good reception all over the Internet ever since the First Access beta,
with Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep standing out as the most successful title.
Asphalt 3: Street Rules
[14]
Wikipedia:Link rot
Pocket Gamer - 8/10
All About N-Gage - 80/100
Block Breaker Deluxe
[15]
Wikipedia:Link rot
Pocket Gamer - 7/10
Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep
[16]
Wikipedia:Link rot
Pocket Gamer - 9/10
N-Gage
534
Mobile Game FAQs - 92/100
Space Impact Kappa Base
[17]
Wikipedia:Link rot
Pocket Gamer - 8/10
System Rush: Evolution
Pocket Gamer - 8/10
Tetris
[18]
Wikipedia:Link rot
Pocket Gamer - 8/10
World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge
Pocket Gamer - 5/10
Awards
Several of the N-Gage 2.0 games were nominated for International Mobile Gaming Awards in 2007. Two out of
three N-Gage 2.0 titles received an award:
ONE by Digital Legends
won the Best 3D award
Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol by Jadestone
won the Best Gameplay award
[16]
Wikipedia:Link rot by Infinite Dreams Inc.
was nominated for Best Gameplay but did not receive the award
On 8 May 2008, Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep
[16]
Wikipedia:Link rot won a Games Award during the 2008
Meffy Awards in Cannes.
[19]
Updates
Prior to the closure of N-Gage service, Nokia released updates for the N-Gage application on a regular basis and the
first update was made available on 2 October 2008. Dubbed as v1.010_131, this update included the following major
changes:
There was an issue that occurred when a user reached 10,000 N-Gage Points, the application would exit
unexpectedly and refuse to restart. This issue has been addressed.
On some devices, if a user had close to fifty friends the application would behave unexpectedly. This issue has
been addressed.
An issue where Snakes Subsonic on certain devices would exit unexpectedly when hosting a Bluetooth
multiplayer match has been addressed
An issue where Blockbreaker Deluxe would exit with an error when a user activated Bluetooth has been
addressed
There was an issue where the WiFi connection changed to a GPRS connection during Operator Billing. This issue
has been addressed.
There was an issue where certain games would exit unexpectedly if a user selected 'Cancel' during the Get
License.
There was an issue where a user would launch a game, and during the 'Attempting Login' screen, could not select
the 'Cancel' button. This issue has been addressed.
There was an error where the N-Gage Arena Rankings could not be accessed using WLAN when the device is in
Offline Mode. This error has been addressed.
N-Gage
535
Some localization issues with Spanish and French have been addressed.
An issue where the application would freeze unexpectedly when the device is left idle on the N-Gage Arena terms
and conditions page has been addressed.
A problem with password retrieval has been addressed.
Version 1.20(1459) was released on 13 May 2009 but didn't do much more than eliminate a few bugs. On 18 August
2009, version 1.40(1557) introduced a new start-up icon, welcoming screen, and way of breaking down the installed
games. The speed of the application itself was slightly improved as well.
Updating the application may be done through the app itselfby using the "Check for Updates" function on the
device, or it can be downloaded in the "Get N-Gage" section on N-Gage.com.
Technical details
N-Gage games are packaged differently than normal Symbian applications and have the extension ".n-gage" and can
only run via the N-Gage application. The game resources are protected by DRM. They cannot use any native
Symbian APIs, instead they use a proprietary API from the N-Gage SDK.
The N-Gage API is in fact an extension of the RGA API available in the Open C++ plug-in.
Only select companies are allowed access to the N-Gage SDK. To gain access they first must be approved by Nokia
and sign a NDA.
Games library
As of 23 October 2009, there were 49 games released officially on N-Gage. Many others games were being
cancelled with the shutting down of the N-Gage service (see further down).
Some of these games are sequels or remakes or ports of the first generation N-Gage MMC games.
Title Price (as of 23 October 2009) Release date
Age of Empires III
[20]
8 / 10 28 April 2009
AMF Bowling: Pinbusters!
[21]
6 / 7 17 June 2009
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
[22]
6 / 10 20 January 2009
Asphalt 3: Street Rules
[23]
4 / 7 3 April 2008
Block Breaker Deluxe
[24]
4 / 7 25 April 2008
BOOM BLOX
[25]
4 / 7 3 December 2008
Bounce Boing Voyage
[26]
4 / 7 7 August 2008
Brain Challenge
[27]
4 / 7 3 April 2008
Brothers in Arms
[28]
4 / 7 15 July 2008
Caf Hold Em Poker
[29]
6 / 7 23 April 2009
Caf Sudoku
[30]
4 / 7 27 January 2009
Caf Solitaire 12-Pack
[31]
4 / 7 21 October 2008
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D
[32]
6 / 10 22 December 2008
Dance Fabulous
[33]
4 / 5 9 June 2009
Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol
[34]
(a.k.a., Dirk Spanner and the Fallen Idol)
4 / 7 19 August 2008
N-Gage
536
Dirk Dagger and the Nuclear Zeppelin 4 / 7 15 October 2008
Dogz
[35]
4 / 7 25 August 2008
Ducati Moto
[36]
4 / 7 18 September 2009
FIFA 08
[37]
4 / 7 7 April 2008
FIFA 09
[38]
8 / 10 18 November 2008
Guitar Hero World Tour
[39]
4 / 7 18 September 2009
[40]
6 / 7 3 April 2008
Mega Monsters
[41]
8 / 10 23 October 2009
Metal Gear Solid Mobile
[42]
8 / 10 11 December 2008
MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition
[43]
6 / 7 3 March 2009
Midnight Pool
[44]
4 / 10 27 June 2008
Mile High Pinball
[45]
4 / 5 6 May 2008
Million Dollar Poker
[46]
6 / 7 30 June 2009
Need for Speed Undercover
[47]
6 / 10 17 March 2009
ONE
[48]
6 / 10 28 October 2008
Pandemonium
[49]
6 / 7 6 May 2009
Powerboat Challenge
[50]
4 / 5 23 October 2009
Prince of Persia
[51]
6 / 10 11 March 2009
Pro Series Golf
[52]
6 / 7 3 July 2008
Real Football 2009
[53]
6 / 10 31 March 2009
Reset Generation
[54]
4 / 5 4 August 2008
Resident Evil: Degeneration
[55]
8 / 10 18 December 2008
Snakes Subsonic
[56]
4 / 5 22 May 2008
Space Impact Kappa Base
[57]
4 / 5 19 April 2008
Spore Origins
[58]
6 / 7 20 May 2009
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
[59]
6 / 7 16 September 2008
System Rush: Evolution
[60]
6 / 7 3 April 2008
Tetris
[61]
4 / 5 25 April 2008
The Sims 2 Pets
[62]
4 / 7 18 June 2008
The Sims 3
[63]
6 / 7 14 July 2009
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
[64]
8 / 10 23 October 2009
Tomb Raider Underworld
[65]
6 / 7 25 August 2009
N-Gage
537
World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge
[66]
8 / 10 3 April 2008
Worms World Party
[67]
8 / 10 7 April 2009
Other games that were reportedly in development but are cancelled include:
Blades & Magic
[68]
Creebies
Galaxy on Fire
Rally Master Pro
Snowboard Hero
The Dark Knight (based on the film of the same name)
Midnight Poker
Speed Racer (based on the film of the same name)
Super Mah Jong
Super Slam Ping Pong!
World Rally Championship (FIA WRC official licence)
Yamake
[69]
Closure of N-Gage
On 30 October 2009, Nokia announces that no new N-Gage games will be produced, effectively shutting down the
N-Gage platform. All N-Gage services, which includes purchasing of games and various online features, had
reportedly ceased operation at the end of 2010.
On 31 March 2011 Nokia closed their DRM activation service leaving customers without the possibility to reactivate
their purchases in the case of a device format or software update. No transition of their purchases was made to the
Ovi store, and no compensation was given because according to their support staff; software purchases are only
supported for 1 year.
Some gaming websites e.g. Pocket Gamer link N-Gage's failure to the overwhelming competition it faces from the
Apple iPhone, while Ovi Gaming cited poor implementation and support from their parent company, Nokia.
References
[1] http:/ / www. n-gage. com/
[2] N-Gage software download and compatibiltiy matrix (http:/ / www. n-gage. com/ ngi/ ngage/ web/ g0/ en/ get_ngage/ download. html)
[3] http:/ / gizmodo.com/ 174143/ stop-laughing-at-the-n-gage-dammit
[4] http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2006/ 05/ 09/ n-gage-reborn/
[5] http:/ / www. techradar. com/ news/ phone-and-communications/ mobile-phones/ next-generation-nokia-n-gage-pilot-begins-154993
[6] http:/ / www. allaboutsymbian. com/ news/ item/ 5788_New_N-Gage_logo_confirmed_and_. php
[7] http:/ / company. nokia.com/ en/ news/ press-releases/ 2007/ 08/ 29/ get-out-and-play-with-n-gage-games-in-your-nokia-device
[8] http:/ / techcrunch. com/ 2007/ 12/ 21/ n-gage-first-access-delayed-till-next-year/
[9] http:/ / www. stuff.tv/ n-gage-officially-rolled-out-%E2%80%93-finally/ news
[10] http:/ / n4g. com/ news/ 117086/ pocket-gamer-block-breaker-deluxe-review
[11] http:/ / web.archive. org/ web/ 20100630061225/ http:/ / blog. n-gage. com/
[12] Nokia N-Gage FAQ (http:/ / www. n-gage.com/ support/ faq. html)
[13] http:/ / web.archive. org/ web/ 20100221052303/ http:/ / forums. arena. n-gage. com/ nokia/ board?board. id=submitinformation
[14] http:/ / www.n-gage. com/ ngi/ ngage/ web/ g0/ en/ showroom/ gamedetail. 267. GameDetail. html
[19] Hooked On: COTD wins Meffy Award (http:/ / www. m-e-f. org/ index. php?id=969)
N-Gage
538
[68] (http:/ / www. fishlabs.net/ en/ press_releases/ fishlabs-and-nokia-sign-n-gage-agreement?year=2009& page=0) Fishlabs and Nokia sign
N-Gage agreement
N-Gage
539
External links
N-Gages official website (http:/ / www. n-gage. com/ )
Nokias official website (http:/ / www. nokia. com/ )
Get Out And Play (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20081004171046/ http:/ / www. get-out-and-play. com/ ?), an
N-Gage promoting website, owned by Nokia
Net Jet
540
Net Jet
Net Jet
Manufacturer Hasbro
Retail availability Discontinued
Media Jumper "keys"
Net Jet is a Windows PC-based game system introduced by Hasbro (under the Tiger Electronics brand) in 2007. The
game system is a controller that is somewhat similar in design to a PlayStation 2 gamepad. The Net Jet controller is
plugged into the USB port in a computer, and automatically starts up and downloads games via a required Internet
connection. A dozen featured games could be played on a trial basis, or unlocked via plug in "game keys" (which are
essentially jumper blocks). The Net Jet came in seven different color variations.
Net Jet support officially ended December 31, 2009.
Operation and features
Unlike other self-contained game systems that fit entirely in a controller, the Net Jet itself can not play games on its
own. It does not contain any circuity to display graphics, generate sound or play games, instead it relies entirely on
the host computer to act as the "game console". For this reason, its performance was potentially hindered by slower
and less capable computers. Games consist of a mix of real-time 3D texture mapping, to simple 2D Java and
flash-based games.
The Net Jet makes itself plug n play by containing a small bit of firmware in the controller. When plugged in, a
virtual CD-ROM image (400K in size) would automatically mount, download and install its software via the Internet
so to display a menu selection screen. Any games selected would then also need to be downloaded and stored on the
computer. The Net Jet is a proprietary controller, it can only be used for its own games and not as a standard PC
gamepad controller (it was detected as a USB hub, as opposed to a game controller by the computer). The controller
itself had 7 buttons (two shoulder, four front and one 'start'), d-pad and analog thumb stick.
Game keys
The Net Jet system is played by inserting a key into the controller. It came with a free demo key. The demo key
allowed a user to try each of the Net Jet games for 30 minutes. Players would then have to store-purchase one of
twelve different game keys in order to unlock each individual game already on the computer. Despite the actual
games being stored on the computer's hard drive, without a key inserted the game system would not function.
Later on, the platform was bundled with some of what was perceived to be its marquee titles, such as Transformers
Battle Universe or Bubble Bonanza for example.
Game keys primarily function as jumper blocks (an activation switch) to unlock games on the computer. Actual
games are downloaded and stored, along with save game settings, onto the computer through an Internet connection.
Games or save-status are not stored on the keys. The keys however permanently "remember" which three choice
games the player selected via a 1K embedded EEPROM IC.
Net Jet
541
Featured games (keys)
Bubble Bonanza
The Fairly OddParents - Timmy's Roach Rampage
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - Bugging Out
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy - Freaky Freezeday
Kool Kart Racers
Littlest Pet Shop
Marble Blast XP
Mission: Paintball
Peak Performance Snowboarding
SpongeBob SquarePants - SpongeBob's Pizza Toss
Super Soaker Water Fight
Transformers Battle Universe - Features various Transformers characters from different series in a side-view
fighting game.
Purchasing a game key also enabled a user to unlock three Internet Java-based games playable with the controller,
called "Choice Games". With a game key, the user was also allowed to demo a variety of standard computer games
(not compatible with the controller) that could at one time be bought called deluxe games. The user also received a
free 30-minute game trial for each deluxe game, with the option to purchase the full game online. These deluxe
games were played with the keyboard, and mouse, rather than the Net Jet controller itself.
Choice games
Squirrel Boy - Screwball Squeeze
[1]
Camp Lazlo - Jelly Beans
Alus Revenge
Mahjong Garden
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Four Nations
Catscratch - Catfight
The X's - Dinner Danger
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Ashes in the Air
Jimmy Timmy Power Hour - Shirley's Revenge
Danny Phantom - Freak For All
Toy Chest Mahjong
Arkadium Minigolf
Ben 10 - Battle Ready
The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy - Harum Scarum
My Gym Partner's A Monkey - Hall Of The Wild
Ed, Edd, and Eddy - Lunchroom Rumble
Beach Sudoku
Dancing Queen
Word Search
Skeeball
Typewriter
Mosquito Mayhem
Darts
Freekick Football
Bombsquad
Net Jet
542
Volleyball
Penguin Power
Skeet Shot
The Stakeout
Treasure Hunt
Deluxe games
Dino & Aliens
Treasures Of The Deep
Wik and the Fable of Souls
Granny in Paradise
Magic Match
Galapago
Discontinuation
As of January 1, 2009, Net Jet was no longer legally obligated
[2]
to maintain or continue its website operation.
Support however was extended a year past said date, as at start up the software displays a pop-up disclaimer stating
the product has been discontinued and support ended as of December 31, 2009.
[3]
Should the website be removed at
any time in the future, the product will no longer function.
The actual message from Net Jet software when controller is plugged-in:
"PLEASE NOTE: We hope you have enjoyed your NET JET Online Gaming System. Unfortunately, NET JET
products have been discontinued. This site will no longer be available on or about December 31, 2009. We
appreciate your interest in Hasbro products. If you have any questions, please contact Hasbro Customer Service."
References
[1] [1] Net Jet storefront
[2] [2] Back of Net Jet package
[3] [3] Net Jet startup screen
External links
Net Jet Home Page (http:/ / www. hasbro. com/ tiger/ netjet/ )Wikipedia:Link rot
Instructions online at Hasbro web site (http:/ / www. hasbro. com/ common/ instruct/ 52820. pdf)
Pandora
543
Pandora
Pandora
Manufacturer OpenPandora GmbH
Type Handheld game console / UMPC / PDA hybrid
Operating system Custom edition of ngstrm
Linux for gaming
CPU OMAP3530 (600+MHz Cortex-A8 (32-bit) and 430MHz TMS320C64x+, NEON & TRADE SIMD coprocessor
Memory 256MB low power DDR-333
Storage Dual SDHC slots, 512 MB internal NAND, USB external storage
Connectivity Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, Bluetooth
Predecessor GP2X (unofficial)
Successor
DragonBox Pyra
[1]
Website
boards.openpandora.org
[2]
The Pandora is an open source hardware handheld game console and mobile personal computer designed to take
advantage of existing free and open source software and to be a target for homebrew development. The first copy
was released in May 2008 and others in May 2010, and is developed by OpenPandora, which is made up of former
distributors and community members of the GP32 and GP2X handhelds.
When announcing the system, the designers of Pandora stated that it would be more powerful than any handheld
video game console that had yet existed. It includes several features that no handheld game consoles have previously
had, making it a cross between a handheld game console and a subnotebook.
History
Development of the Pandora began when Craig Rothwell, Fatih Kilic, Michael Mrozek and (later) Michael Weston
teamed up and planned a portable system that would excel in the areas where they thought the GP32 and GP2X
systems (from Gamepark and Gamepark Holdings respectively) were flawed. The Pandora was designed based on
ideas and suggestions contributed by GP32X forum members, with the goal of creating the ultimate open source
handheld device. The final case and keymat design was made by Dave Cancilier
[3]
(DaveC), who was known on the
forums for custom hardware modifications.
[4]
In February 2008 the Pandora wiki had already been created; as of 2014, it contains a thousand pages and is
translated with the MediaWiki Translate extension.
[5]
Pandora
544
The initial development and setup costs were funded through a crowd funding approach where early supporters
provided enough money to support a production run,
[6]
and when the console made it into production, each supporter
would receive the device they paid for (what actually ended up happening due to cost overruns is that the early
supporters received devices as later sales recouped the initial investment costs). OpenPandora began taking payments
on September 30, 2008
[7]
and began shipping to customers on May 21, 2010.
[8]
In late 2011, after production
problems, OpenPandora shifted its production from Texas to Germany, delaying production, and the device was
upgraded from 256 MB to 512 MB RAM.
As of September 3, 2012, 4600 units had been shipped and 400 early supporters were still waiting to receive a
console,
[9]
as these pre-orders are only fulfilled when sales to new customers are made.
[10]
Since June 2012, a new
1GHz model has been made available in limited amounts during the summer 2012. Due to the shortage of previous
600MHz chips, this new model has become the de facto standard in 2013.
In March 2013, the pre-order queue of the German OpenPandora GmbH company (owned by Michael Mrozek aka
EvilDragon) was finally cleared.
[11]
The remaining pre-order queue of the UK OpenPandora Ltd. company (owned
by Craig Rothwell) turned out to be significantly larger than originally reported, and the UK company has requested
to be struck off.
[12]
This means that the original pre-orderers at the UK company are unlikely to ever get their unit
from the UK company. Also because of this, buyers have lost their money. Although there is no legal connection
between the two companies, the German OpenPandora GmbH company is trying to help those UK customers by
offering them significant discounts (if they decide to buy a unit from the German company instead of waiting for the
UK company) and by organizing community donations to get them peer-funded units.
[13]
As of December 2, 2013, about 6000 units have been shipped.
[14]
On November 19, 2013, it was announced that the
production of the final Pandora batch has been started.
[15]
Speculation and discussion about a successor to the Pandora has started on the OpenPandora boards
[16]
. Features
and a demo prototype were announced at FOSDEM 2014; the project is called DragonBox Pyra.
Overview
The render of the Pandora, which was computer-created by
OpenPandora in late 2008
The Pandora is designed to be a handheld game console
with high-end PDA capabilities, but may also be run as
a low-power full-featured Linux desktop. The system
by default comes with a Linux OS based on ngstrm.
The interface is custom themed to fit the small form
factor and touchscreen, analogue joystick, and
keyboard-based inputs available. Users can install and
run their own desktop environment if they choose.
Users may even install other Linux distributions like
Ubuntu or Gentoo themselves. It is possible as well to
run Android (gingerbread) through a PND package on
top of the Angrstrom distribution, while it requires
overclocking to perform flawlessly.
One of Pandora's major intended uses is for homebrew gaming and for the emulation of older computer systems and
video game consoles, which is possible through efficient use of the resources made available by the Texas
Instruments OMAP 3530 SoC. The Pandora developers have already shown working emulators for Dreamcast
(Dreamcast emulator was never released), PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Amiga, SNES, Atari Jaguar and Sega Mega
Drive software, and the Pandora is thought by its developers to have the potential to emulate most if not all machines
older than the Dreamcast.
Pandora
545
For software and video games were source code is available (see List of commercial video games with available
source code), instead of emulation source ports were created for the Pandora; notable examples are Jagged Alliance
2
[17]
and Homeworld.
The device is also intended for use as a portable media playback device with a storage capacity of up to 128GB of
data (64GB SDXC cards) across two SD memory card slots.
The Pandora uses standard libraries such as OpenGL ES and SDL which are freely available, allowing anyone who
wishes the ability to develop for the system. Many developers from the GP2x community have publicly stated that
they will be developing applications for the new system.Wikipedia:Citation needed
The Pandora is compatible with Debian packages built for the ARM architecture using APT. A Git repository offers
the latest kernel source.
[18]
Lists on the community-maintained Pandora Wiki keep track of new software releases.
[19][20][21]
Most, but not all,
Pandora software is uploaded to either the Pandora Apps
[22]
, the Pandora File Archive
[23]
or Pandora Repo
[24]
websites. The Pandora File Archive existed first and is run by Michael Mrozek. Pandora Apps was launched by
Craig Rothwell in May 2010, and is designed for viewing on the Pandora's smaller screen resolution.
The Pandora Repo (yet unnamed) was developed by a member of the community with help from the community. Its
use has been adopted quickly as it tends to have the latest software releases first, as it doesn't require developers to
enter any details about the application being uploadedinstead, these are automatically acquired from the
application itself.
The Pandora Repo is also the first that uses the community created REPO specifications
[25][26]
which allows native
clients to get applications from the pandora repo without actually visiting the website (much akin to Synaptic
package manager).
The Pandora community is also notable for the development of tools required to achieve several successful Static
recompilations of complex binary software to the Pandora platform. For instance, in 2014 a ARM architecture
version of the 1998 video game Starcraft was generated by static recompilation from the original x86 version.
There are several Pandora variants.
[27]
Pandora Classic
Texas Instruments OMAP3530 SoC
ARM Cortex-A8 CPU @ 600MHz
PowerVR SGX530 @ 110MHz
IVA2+ audio and video processor with TMS320C64x+ DSP Core @ 430MHz using DaVinci technology
256MiB DDR-333 SDRAM
512MB NAND flash memory
Integrated Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbit/s) (Class 2, +4dBm)
800480 resolution touchscreen LCD, 4.3" widescreen, 16.7 million colors (300cd/m2 brightness, 450:1 contrast
ratio)
Dual SDHC card slots (currently supporting up to 32GB of storage each, supports SDIO)
Gamepad controls with 2 shoulder buttons
Dual analog nubs; 15mm diameter, concave, 2.5mm travel from centre
43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
USB 2.0 high-speed port (480Mbit/s) capable of providing standard 500mA current to attached devices, USB
On-The-Go supporting charging Pandora
Pandora
546
Externally accessible UART for hardware hacking and debugging
Internal microphone plus ability to connect external microphone through headset
Headphone output up to 150mW/channel into 16 ohms, 99dB SNR
TV output (composite and S-Video, both for PAL and NTSC)
Brick prevention with integrated bootloader for safe code experimentation
Runs the Linux kernel (2.6.x for older versions, 3.2 in the latest Super Zaxxon firmware from July 2012)
4200 mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery
Estimated 8.510+ hour battery life for games, 10+ hour battery life for video and general applications, 100+
hours for music playback (with maximum power management), and 450+ hours in suspend-to-ram
Dimensions: 140.29 83.48 29.25mm (5.523 3.287 1.152in) (314 ml) (5.513.271.06 in)
Mass: 320g (0.71lb)
Pandora rebirth
Based on Pandora Classic with following changes:
OMAP3530 SoC
PowerVR SGX530 @110MHz (newer revision)
512MiB DDR-333 SDRAM
Pandora 1 GHz
Based on Pandora Classic/Rebirth with following changes:
Texas Instruments DM3730 SoC
ARM Cortex-A8 CPU @ 1GHz
PowerVR SGX530 @ 200MHz
IVA2.2 audio and video processor with TMS320C64x+ DSP Core @ 800MHz
512MiB DDR-333 SDRAM @ 200MHz
Similar products
Other single-board computers using OMAP3500 series processors include OSWALD
[28]
developed by Oregon State
University students for computer science education, Beagle Board, IGEPv2, Touch Book, and Gumstix Overo series.
The Gizmondo 2 was to be a potential commercial competitor of the Pandora, but the Gizmondo 2 was cancelled.
References
[1] website of the DragonBox Pyra (http:/ / pyra-handheld. com/ )
[2] http:/ / boards. openpandora.org/ page/ homepage.html
[3] Posting by Michael Mrozek (http:/ / boards.openpandora. org/ topic/ 16425-the-day-the-pandora-goes-even-more-open/ ). OpenPandora
forum. 2014-06-01.
[4] DaveC (http:/ / openpandora. org/ index.php?option=com_content& view=article& id=113& Itemid=22& lang=en), Pandora
[5] Pandora Wiki (https:/ / wikiapiary. com/ wiki/ Pandora_Wiki), WikiApiary.
[6] How the Pandora came to be (http:/ / openpandora.org/ index. php?option=com_content& view=article& id=116& Itemid=25& lang=en),
Pandora
[7] Patel, Nilay. Pandora pre-orders go live (http:/ / www. engadget. com/ 2008/ 09/ 30/ pandora-pre-orders-go-live/ ). Engadget. Sept. 30, 2008.
[8] First shipping emails hit inboxes (http:/ / pandorapress. net/ 2010/ 05/ 21/ first-shipping-emails-hit-inboxes/ ). Pandora Press. May 21, 2010.
[9] Current Status (http:/ / www.openpandora. org/ index.php?option=com_content& view=article& id=98& Itemid=13& lang=en), Pandora
[10] 3 Year Anniversary since ordering Pandora (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ index. php?/ topic/ 5553-3-year-anniversary/ ), OpenPandora
Discussion Boards
[11] One queue cleared, TV Out cables finally coming and some other tidbits (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ topic/
12414-one-queue-cleared-tv-out-cables-finally-coming-and-some-other-tidbits-2013-03-20/ ), Official OpenPandora News, 20 March 2013
Pandora
547
[12] Openpandora Ltd (UK) Struck off email (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ topic/ 14913-openpandora-ltd-uk-struck-off-email/ ),
OpenPandora Official Boards, 16 November 2013
[13] EvilDragon's Pre-Order Survey Thread (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ topic/ 13042-evildragons-pre-order-survey-thread/ ), Official
OpenPandora News
[14] OpenPandora Official Boards (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ topic/ 15040-i-got-my-openpandora-1ghz-i-have-questions-though/
#entry294516). December 2, 2013.
[15] OpenPandora is NOT dead! (http:/ / boards.openpandora. org/ topic/ 14938-openpandora-is-not-dead/ ), Official OpenPandora News, 19
November 2013
[16] http:/ / boards. openpandora.org/ forum/ 35-pandora-successor-community-ideas/
[17] Jagged Alliance 2 (http:/ / repo.openpandora. org/ ?page=detail& app=jagged-alliance-2_Dregoth) on repo.openpandora.org
[18] OpenPandora Blog post, "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" (http:/ / openpandora. org/ blog. php) by EvilDragon Archived Version (https:/ /
docs.google. com/ viewer?a=v& q=cache:zvABZhFlFm8J:openpandora. org/ index. php?view=article& catid=2%3Ablog& id=32&
format=pdf& option=com_content& Itemid=2& lang=tr+ OpenPandora+ Blog+ post,+ "The+ Good+ the+ Bad+ and+ the+ Ugly"+ by+
EvilDragon& hl=en& gl=au& pid=bl&
srcid=ADGEESiqBiCrlUEYi5lS5ac7Kq-cQhWNmIhk-eXRo-DyV5Ybr4Nw6h-kKiE1WA1VfU_--0eW7LJ222TycN_koVabNBeHxGlEXCwjq_ih0VslDg69tmeQpBokOdjlYWuuKlZZL8U4kFKz&
sig=AHIEtbS9WCVr_BTUcABdTeyjd_VqFwSXVg)
[19] Pandora Wiki: Emulator list (http:/ / pandorawiki. org/ Emulator_list)
[20] Pandora Wiki: Games (http:/ / pandorawiki. org/ Games)
[21] Pandora Wiki: Software projects (http:/ / pandorawiki. org/ Software_projects)
[22] http:/ / apps. open-pandora.org/
[23] http:/ / dl. openhandhelds.org/ cgi-bin/ pandora. cgi
[24] http:/ / repo.openpandora. org
[25] http:/ / pandorawiki. org/ PND_repository_specification
[26] REPO specifications (http:/ / pandorawiki.org/ PND_repository_specification)
[27] Pandora Editions (http:/ / www. open-pandora.org/ index. php?option=com_content& view=article& id=224& Itemid=49& lang=en)
[28] OSWALD Hand-held Computer - Trac (http:/ / beaversource. oregonstate. edu/ projects/ cspfl). Beaversource.oregonstate.edu. Retrieved on
2013-08-23.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pandora (console).
Official website (http:/ / www. open-pandora. org/ )
Official wiki (http:/ / pandorawiki. org/ )
Official forums for the Pandora and iControlpad (http:/ / boards. openpandora. org/ )
PlayStation 3
548
PlayStation 3
"PS3" redirects here. For other uses, see PS3 (disambiguation).
PlayStation 3
Counter-clockwise from the top: Original logo, new logo, original first-generation model, DualShock 3 controller, later third-generation "slim"
model.
Developer SCEI
Manufacturer Sony EMCS, Foxconn, ASUSTeK
Release date
JP
November 11, 2006
US
November 17, 2006
EU/AUS
March 23, 2007
Units sold 80million
(as of November 2, 2013)
Media Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3 game disc)
DVD
Compact Disc
PlayStation game disc
PlayStation 2 game disc (1st & 2nd generations only)
Super Audio CD (1st & 2nd generations only)
Digital distribution
PlayStation 3
549
Operating system XrossMediaBar
System software version 4.60
(June24, 2014)
CPU 3.2GHz Cell Broadband Engine with 1 PPE & 7 SPEs
Memory 256MB system and 256MB video
Storage 2.5-inch SATA hard drive
(20GB, 40GB, 60GB, 80GB, 120GB, 160GB, 250GB, 320GB or 500GB included) (upgradeable)
Display
Graphics 550MHz NVIDIA/SCEI RSX 'Reality Synthesizer'
Sound
Controller input Sixaxis, DualShock 3, DualShock 4, Logitech Driving Force GT, Logitech Cordless Precision controller, standard
USB controllers, GT Force, Rhythm game controllers, PlayStation Move, PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Remote Control,
GunCon 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Keyboard and Mouse
Connectivity
Online services PlayStation Network
Backward
compatibility
PlayStation (all models)
PlayStation 2 (20GB, 60GB and some (CECHExx) 80GB models)
Predecessor PlayStation 2
Website
playstation.com/ps3/
[1]
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment.
It is the successor to PlayStation 2, as part of the PlayStation series. It competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and
Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006,
in Japan, with international markets following shortly thereafter.
The console was first officially announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2005, and was released at the end of
2006. It was the first console to use Blu-ray Disc as its primary storage medium. Major features of the console
include its unified online gaming service, PlayStation Network, and its connectivity with PlayStation Portable and
PlayStation Vita, In September 2009 the updated PlayStation 3 Slim, was released. This Slim is lighter and thinner
than the original version, which notably featured a re-designed logo and marketing design. A further refined Super
Slim design was released in late 2012. As of November 2, 2013, PlayStation 3 has sold 80 million units worldwide.
Its successor, PlayStation 4, was released on November 15, 2013, in North America and in Europe on November 29,
2013. Following the release of PlayStation 4, Sony has stated that they will continue to support PlayStation 3 until
2015.
History
Sony officially unveiled PlayStation 3 (then marketed as PLAYSTATION 3) to the public on May 16, 2005, at the
E3 2005 conference, along with a 'boomerang' shaped prototype design of the Sixaxis controller. A functional
version of the system was not present there, nor at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005, although
demonstrations (such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) were held at both events on software development
kits and comparable personal computer hardware. Video footage based on the predicted PlayStation3 specifications
was also shown (notably a Final Fantasy VII tech demo).
The initial prototype shown in May 2005 featured two HDMI ports, three Ethernet ports and six USB ports;
however, when the system was shown again a year later at E3 2006, these were reduced to one HDMI port, one
Ethernet port and four USB ports, presumably to cut costs. Two hardware configurations were also announced for
PlayStation 3
550
the console: a 20GB model and a 60GB model, priced at US$499 (499) and US$599 (599), respectively. The
60GB model was to be the only configuration to feature an HDMI port, Wi-Fi internet, flash card readers and a
chrome trim with the logo in silver. Both models were announced for a simultaneous worldwide release: November
11, 2006, for Japan and November 17, 2006, for North America and Europe.
On September 6, 2006, Sony announced that PAL region PlayStation3 launch would be delayed until March 2007,
because of a shortage of materials used in the Blu-ray drive. At the Tokyo Game Show on September 22, 2006, Sony
announced that it would include an HDMI port on the 20GB system, but a chrome trim, flash card readers, silver
logo and Wi-Fi would not be included. Also, the launch price of the Japanese 20GB model was reduced by over
20%, and the 60GB model was announced for an open pricing scheme in Japan. During the event, Sony showed 27
playable PS3 games running on final hardware.
Launch
Silver PlayStation3 consoles on show in 2006
Main article: PlayStation 3 launch
PlayStation 3 was first released in Japan on November 11, 2006, at
07:00. According to Media Create, 81,639 PS3 systems were sold
within 24 hours of its introduction in Japan. Soon after its release in
Japan, PS3 was released in North America on November 17, 2006.
Reports of violence surrounded the release of PS3. A customer was
shot, campers were robbed at gunpoint, customers were shot in a
drive-by shooting with BB guns, and 60 campers fought over 10
systems.
The console was originally planned for a global release through
November, but at the start of September the release in Europe and the rest of the world was delayed until March.
With it being a somewhat last-minute delay, some companies had taken deposits for pre-orders, at which Sony
informed customers that they were eligible for full refunds or could continue the pre-order. On January 24, 2007,
Sony announced that PlayStation3 would go on sale on March 23, 2007, in Europe, Australia, the Middle East,
Africa and New Zealand. The system sold about 600,000 units in its first two days. On March 7, 2007, the 60GB
PlayStation3 launched in Singapore with a price of S$799. The console was launched in South Korea on June 16,
2007, as a single version equipped with an 80GB hard drive and IPTV.
PS3 Slim and console rebranding
Following speculation that Sony was working on a 'slim' model, Sony officially announced the PS3 CECH-2000
model on August 18, 2009, at the Sony Gamescom press conference. Among its features are a slimmer form factor
and quieter noise when powered on. It was released in major territories by September 2009. As part of the release for
the slim model, the logo was changed from the "Spider-Man font"Wikipedia:Please clarify and capitalized
PLAYSTATION 3 to a more traditional PlayStation- and PlayStation 2-like 'PlayStation 3' logo with "PS3" imprinted
on the console. Along with the redesigning of the console and logo, the boot screen of all consoles changed from
"Sony Computer Entertainment" to "PS3 PlayStation 3", with a new chime and the game start splash screen being
dropped. The cover art and packaging of games has also been changed.
PlayStation 3
551
Games
Main article: List of PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation 3 launched in North America with 14 titles, with another three being released before the end of 2006.
After the first week of sales it was confirmed that Resistance: Fall of Man from Insomniac Games was the
top-selling launch game in North America. The game was heavily praised by numerous video game websites,
including GameSpot and IGN, both of whom awarded it their PlayStation 3 Game of the Year award for 2006. Some
titles missed the launch window and were delayed until early 2007, such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, F.E.A.R.
and Sonic the Hedgehog. During the Japanese launch, Ridge Racer 7 was the top-selling game, while Mobile Suit
Gundam: Crossfire also fared well in sales, both of which were offerings from Namco Bandai Games. PlayStation 3
launched in Europe with 24 titles, including ones that were not offered in North American and Japanese launches,
such as Formula One Championship Edition, MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5. Resistance: Fall of Man and
MotorStorm were the most successful titles of 2007, and both games subsequently received sequels in the form of
Resistance 2 and MotorStorm: Pacific Rift.
At E3 2007, Sony was able to show a number of their upcoming video games for PlayStation 3, including Heavenly
Sword, Lair, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Warhawk and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune; all of which
were released in the third and fourth quarters of 2007. They also showed off a number of titles that were set for
release in 2008 and 2009; most notably Killzone 2, Infamous, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, LittleBigPlanet and
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation. A number of third-party exclusives were also shown, including the highly
anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, alongside other high-profile third-party titles such as Grand
Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Assassin's Creed, Devil May Cry 4 and Resident Evil 5. Two other
important titles for PlayStation 3, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, were shown at TGS 2007 in
order to appease the Japanese market.
Sony have since launched their budget range of PlayStation 3 titles, known as the Greatest Hits range in North
America, the Platinum range in Europe and Australia and The Best range in Japan. Among the titles available in the
budget range include Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm, Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Call
Of Duty 3, Assassin's Creed and Ninja Gaiden Sigma. As of October 2009 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots,
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Devil May Cry 4, Army of Two, Battlefield: Bad Company and
Midnight Club: Los Angeles have also joined the list.
As of March 31, 2012, there have been 595 million games sold for PlayStation 3.
Stereoscopic 3D
Main article: List of 3D PlayStation 3 games
In December 2008, the CTO of Blitz Games announced that it would bring stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie
viewing to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with its own technology. This technology was first demonstrated publicly on
PS3 in January 2009 at the Consumer Electronics Show. Journalists were shown Wipeout HD and Gran Turismo 5
Prologue in 3D as a demonstration of how the technology might work if it is implemented in the future. Firmware
update 3.30 officially allowed PS3 titles to be played in 3D, requiring a compatible display for use. System software
update 3.50 prepared it for 3D films. While the game itself must be programmed to take advantage of the 3D
technology, titles may be patched to add in the functionality retroactively. Titles with such patches include Wipeout
HD, Pain, and Super Stardust HD.
PlayStation 3
552
Hardware
PlayStation 3 is convex on its left side, with the PlayStation logo upright, when vertical (the top side is convex when
horizontal) and has a glossy black finish. PlayStation designer Teiyu Goto stated that the Spider-Man-font-inspired
logo "was one of the first elements SCEI president Ken Kutaragi decided on and the logo may have been the
motivating force behind the shape of PS3".
On March 22, 2007, SCE and Stanford University released the Folding@home software for PlayStation 3. This
program allows PS3 owners to lend the computing power of their consoles to help study the process of protein
folding for disease research.
Use in supercomputing
Main article: PlayStation 3 cluster
PS3's hardware has also been used to build supercomputers for high-performance computing. Fixstars Solutions sell
a version of Yellow Dog Linux for PlayStation 3 (originally sold by Terra Soft Solutions). RapidMind produced a
stream programming package for PS3, but were acquired by Intel in 2009. Also, on January 3, 2007, Dr. Frank
Mueller, Associate Professor of Computer science at NCSU, clustered 8 PS3s. Mueller commented that the 256MB
of system RAM is a limitation for this particular application and is considering attempting to retrofit more RAM.
Software includes: Fedora Core 5 Linux ppc64, MPICH2, OpenMP v 2.5, GNU Compiler Collection and CellSDK
1.1. As a more cost-effective alternative to conventional supercomputers, the U.S. military has purchased clusters of
PS3 units for research purposes. Retail PS3 Slim units cannot be used for supercomputing, because PS3 Slim lacks
the ability to boot into a third-party OS.
In November 2010 the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) created a powerful supercomputer by connecting
together 1,760 Sony PS3s which include 168 separate graphical processing units and 84 coordinating servers in a
parallel array capable of performing 500 trillion floating-point operations per second (500TFLOPS). As built the
Condor Cluster was the 33rd largest supercomputer in the world and would be used to analyze high definition
satellite imagery.
In December 2008, a group of hackers used a cluster of 200 PlayStation 3 computers to crack SSL authentication.
Main article: PlayStation 3 technical specifications
The RSX 'Reality Synthesizer' on a Playstation 3 motherboard
PlayStation 3 features a slot-loading 2x speed Blu-ray
Disc drive for games, Blu-ray movies, DVDs, CDs
and other optical media. It was originally available
with hard drives of 20 and 60GB (20GB model was
not available in PAL regions) but various sizes up to
500GB have been made available since then (see:
model comparison). All PS3 models have
user-upgradeable 2.5" SATA hard drives.
PlayStation 3 uses the Cell microprocessor, designed
by Sony, Toshiba and IBM, as its CPU, which is made
up of one 3.2GHz PowerPC-based "Power Processing
Element" (PPE) and eight Synergistic Processing
Elements (SPEs). The eighth SPE is disabled to
improve chip yields. Only six of the seven SPEs are
accessible to developers as the seventh SPE is reserved by the console's operating system. Graphics processing is
handled by the NVIDIA RSX 'Reality Synthesizer', which can produce resolutions from 480i/576i SD up to 1080p
PlayStation 3
553
HD. PlayStation 3 has 256MB of XDR DRAM main memory and 256MB of GDDR3 video memory for the RSX.
The system has Bluetooth 2.0 (with support for up to 7 bluetooth devices
[2]
), gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 and HDMI
1.4
[3]
built in on all currently shipping models. Wi-Fi networking is also built-in on all but the 20GB models, while
a flash card reader (compatible with Memory Stick, SD/MMC and CompactFlash/Microdrive media) is built-in on
60GB and CECHExx 80GB models.
Models
Main article: PlayStation 3 models
PlayStation 3 has been produced in various models: the original, the Slim, and the Super Slim. Successive models
have added or removed various features.
Controllers and accessories
Main article: PlayStation 3 accessories
DualShock 3 controller in hand
Numerous accessories for the console have been developed. These
accessories include the wireless Sixaxis and DualShock 3 controllers,
the Logitech Driving Force GT, the Logitech Cordless Precision
Controller, the BD Remote, the PlayStation Eye camera, and the
PlayTV DVB-T tuner/digital video recorder accessory.
At Sony's E3 press conference in 2006, the then standard wireless
Sixaxis controller was announced. The controller was based on the
same basic design as the PlayStation2's DualShock 2 controller but
was wireless, lacked vibration capabilities, had a built-in accelerometer
(that could detect motion in three directional and three rotational axes; six in total, hence the name Sixaxis) and had a
few cosmetic tweaks.
At its press conference at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced DualShock 3 (trademarked DUALSHOCK
3), a PlayStation 3 controller with the same function and design as Sixaxis, but with vibration capability included.
Hands-on accounts describe the controller as being noticeably heavier than the standard Sixaxis controller and
capable of vibration forces comparable to DualShock 2. It was released in Japan on November 11, 2007; in North
America on April 5, 2008; in Australia on April 24, 2008; in New Zealand on May 9, 2008; in mainland Europe on
July 2, 2008, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 4, 2008.
During E3 2009, Sony unveiled plans to release a motion controller later to be named PlayStation Move at GDC
2010. It was released on September 15, 2010, in Europe; September 19, 2010, in North America and October 21,
2010, in Japan.
On October 13, 2010, Sony announced an official surround sound system for PS3 through the official PlayStation
YouTube channel.
PlayStation 3
554
Questions regarding reliability
The PlayStation 3 illuminating the
yellow light, indicating a
non-specific failure
According to Ars Technica, the number of PlayStation 3 consoles that have
experienced failure is well within the normal failure rates in the consumer
electronics industry; a 2009 study by SquareTrade, a warranty provider, found a
two-year failure rate of 10% for PlayStation 3s.
[4]
In September 2009, BBC's Watchdog television program aired a report
investigating the issue, calling it the "yellow light of death" (YLOD). Among the
consoles that experienced the failure, they found that it usually occurred 1824
months after purchase, while the standard Sony warranty covers one year after
purchase. After this time period, PlayStation 3 owners can pay Sony a set fee for
a refurbished console.
Sony claimed that, according to its statistics of returned consoles, approximately
0.5% of consoles were reported as showing the YLOD. In response to the
televised report, Sony issued a document criticizing the program's accuracy and
conclusions; specifically that the faults were evidence of a manufacturing defect.
The document also complained that the report had been inappropriate in tone and
might damage Sony's brand name.
Software
See also: PlayStation 3 system software Compatible media formats
System software
Main article: PlayStation 3 system software
Sony has included the ability for the operating system, referred to as System Software, to be updated. The updates
can be acquired in several ways:
If PlayStation 3 has an active Internet connection, updates may be downloaded directly from the PlayStation
Network to PlayStation 3 and subsequently installed. Systems with active Internet will automatically check online
for software updates each time the console is started.
Using an external PC, a user may download the update from the official PlayStation website, transfer it to
portable storage media and install it on the system.
Some game discs come with system software updates on the disc. This may be due to the game requiring the
update in order to run. If so, the software may be installed from the disc.
The original PlayStation 3 also included the ability to install other operating systems, such as Linux. This was not
included in the newer slim models and was removed from all older PlayStation 3 consoles with the release of
firmware update 3.21 in April 2010. The functionality is now only available to users of original consoles who choose
not to update their system software beyond version 3.15 or who have installed third-party, modified and unofficial
versions of the firmware instead
[5]
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Graphical user interface
Main article: XrossMediaBar PlayStation 3 XMB
The standard PlayStation 3 version of the XrossMediaBar (pronounced Cross Media Bar, or abbreviated XMB)
includes nine categories of options. These are: Users, Settings, Photo, Music, Video, Game, Network, PlayStation
Network and Friends (similar to the PlayStation Portable media bar). A tenth TV category is displayed between
Music and Video if PlayTV or torne is installed or if the console meets certain criteria to access select catch-up
television services. By default, the What's New section of PlayStation Network is displayed when the system starts
up. PS3 includes the ability to store various master and secondary user profiles, manage and explore photos with or
without a musical slide show, play music and copy audio CD tracks to an attached data storage device, play movies
and video files from the hard disk drive, an optical disc (Blu-ray Disc or DVD-Video) or an optional USB mass
storage or Flash card, compatibility for a USB keyboard and mouse and a web browser supporting in/compatible file
download function. Additionally, UPnP media will appear in the respective audio/video/photo categories if a
compatible media server or DLNA server is detected on the local network. The Friends menu allows mail with
emoticon and attached picture features and video chat which requires an optional PlayStation Eye or EyeToy
webcam. The Network menu allows online shopping through the PlayStation Store and connectivity to PlayStation
Portable via Remote Play.
Digital rights management
PlayStation 3 console protects certain types of data and uses digital rights management to limit the data's use.
Purchased games and content from the PlayStation Network store are governed by PlayStation's Network Digital
Rights Management (NDRM). The NDRM allows users to access the data from up to 2 different PlayStation 3's that
have been activated using a user's PlayStation Network ID. PlayStation 3 also limits the transfer of copy protected
videos downloaded from its store to other machines and states that copy protected video "may not restore correctly"
following certain actions after making a backup such as downloading a new copy protected movie.
Photo management
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery is an optional application to view, create and group photos from PS3, which is installed separately
from the system software at 105MB. It was introduced in system software version 2.60 and provides a range of tools
for sorting through and displaying the system's pictures. The key feature of this application is that it can organize
photos into groups according to various criteria. Notable categorizations are colors, ages, or facial expressions of the
people in the photos. Slideshows can be viewed with the application, along with music and playlists. The software
was updated with the release of system software version 3.40 allowing users to upload and browse photos on
Facebook and Picasa.
PlayMemories Studio
PlayMemories is an optional stereoscopic 3D (and also standard) photo viewing application, which is installed from
the PlayStation Store at 956MB. The application is dedicated specifically to 3D photos and features the ability to
zoom into 3D environments and change the angle and perspective of panoramas. It requires system software 3.40 or
higher; 3D photos; a 3D HDTV, and an HDMI cable for the 3D images to be viewed properly.
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Video services
Video editor and uploader
A new application was released as part of system software version 3.40 which allows users to edit videos on
PlayStation 3 and upload them to the Internet. The software features basic video editing tools including the ability to
cut videos and add music and captions. Videos can then be rendered and uploaded to video sharing websites such as
Facebook and YouTube.
Video on demand
In addition to the video service provided by the Sony Entertainment Network the PlayStation 3 console has access to
a variety of third party video services, dependent on region:
Since June 2009 VidZone has offered a free music video streaming service in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In
October 2009, Sony Computer Entertainment and Netflix announced that the Netflix streaming service would also be
available on PlayStation 3 in the United States. A paid Netflix subscription was required for the service. The service
became available in November 2009. Initially users had to use a free Blu-ray disc to access the service; however, in
October 2010 the requirement to use a disc to gain access was removed.
In April 2010, support for MLB.tv was added, allowing MLB.tv subscribers to watch regular season games live in
HD and access new interactive features designed exclusively for PSN.
In November 2010 access to the video and social networking site MUBI was enabled for European, New Zealand,
and Australian users; the service integrates elements of social networking with rental or subscription video
streaming, allowing users to watch and discuss films with other users.
[6]
Also in November 2010 the video rental
service VUDU,
[7]
NHL GameCenter Live, and subscription service Hulu Plus launched on PlayStation 3 in the
United States.
In August 2011, Sony in partnership with DirecTV added NFL Sunday Ticket. Then in October 2011, Best Buy
launched an app for its CinemaNow service. In April 2012, Amazon.com launched an Amazon Instant Video app,
accessible to Amazon Prime subscribers (in the US).
Upon reviewing the PlayStation and Netflix collaboration Pocket-Lint said "We've used the Netflix app on Xbox too
and, as good as it is, we think the PS3 version might have the edge here." and stated that having Netflix and
LoveFilm on PlayStation is "mind-blowingly good."
In July 2013, YuppTV OTT player launched its branded application on the PS3 computer entertainment system in
the United States.
[8][9]
OtherOS support
Main article: OtherOS
PlayStation 3 initially shipped with the ability to install an alternative operating system alongside the main system
software; Linux and other Unix based operating systems were available. The hardware allowed access to six of the
seven Synergistic Processing Elements of the Cell microprocessor, but not the RSX 'Reality Synthesizer' graphics
chip.
The 'OtherOS' functionality was not present in the updated PS Slim models, and the feature was subsequently
removed from previous versions of the PS3 as part of the machine's firmware update version 3.21 which was
released on April 1, 2010; Sony cited security concerns as the rationale. The firmware update 3.21 was mandatory
for access to the PlayStation Network. The removal caused some controversy; as the update removed officially
advertised features from already sold products, and gave rise to several class action lawsuits aimed at making Sony
return the feature or provide compensation.
[10]
On December 8, 2011, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg dismissed the last remaining count of the class action
lawsuit (other claims in the suit had previously been dismissed), stating: "As a legal matter, [..] plaintiffs have failed
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to allege facts or articulate a theory on which Sony may be held liable."
As of January 2014 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially reversed the dismissal and have sent the
case back to the district court.
Leap year bug
On March 1, 2010 (UTC), many of the original (non-Slim) PlayStation 3 models worldwide were experiencing
errors related to their internal system clock. The error had a multitude of symptoms. Initially, the main problem
seemed to be the inability to connect to the PlayStation Network. However, the root cause of the problem was
unrelated to the PlayStation Network, since even users who had never been online also had problems playing
installed offline games (which queried the system timer as part of startup) and using system themes. At the same
time many users noted that the console's clock had gone back to December 31, 1999. The event was nicknamed the
ApocalyPS3, a play on the word apocalypse.
The error code displayed was typically 8001050F and affected users were unable to sign in, play games, use dynamic
themes and view/sync trophies.
[11]
The problem only resided within the 1st through to the 3rd generation original
PS3 units while the newer "Slim" models were unaffected because of different internal hardware for the clock.
Sony confirmed that there was an error and stated that they were narrowing down the issue and were continuing to
work to restore service. By March 2 (UTC), 2010, owners of original PS3 models could connect to PSN successfully
and the clock no longer showed December 31, 1999. Sony stated that the affected models incorrectly identified 2010
as a leap year, because of a bug in the BCD method of storing the date. However, for some users, the hardware's
operating system clock (mainly updated from the internet and not associated with the internal clock) needed to be
updated manually or by re-syncing it via the internet.
On June 29, 2010, Sony released PS3 system software update 3.40, which improved the functionality of the internal
clock to properly account for leap years.
Features
PlayStation Portable connectivity
Main articles: Remote Play and PlayStation Store (PC) for PSP
PlayStation Portable can connect with PlayStation 3 in many ways, including in-game connectivity. For example,
Formula One Championship Edition, a racing game, was shown at E3 2006 using a PSP as a real-time rear-view
mirror. In addition, users are able to download original PlayStation format games from the PlayStation Store, transfer
and play them on PSP as well as PS3 itself. It is also possible to use the Remote Play feature to play these and some
PlayStation Network games, remotely on PSP over a network or internet connection.
Sony has also demonstrated PSP playing back video content from PlayStation 3 hard disk across an ad hoc wireless
network. This feature is referred to as Remote Play located under the browser icon on both PlayStation 3 and
PlayStation Portable. Remote play has since expanded to allow remote access to PS3 via PSP from any wireless
access point in the world.
PlayStation Network
Main article: PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network is the unified online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service provided by Sony
Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, announced during the 2006 PlayStation
Business Briefing meeting in Tokyo. The service is always connected, free, and includes multiplayer support. The
network enables online gaming, the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home and other services. PlayStation Network
uses real currency and PlayStation Network Cards as seen with the PlayStation Store and PlayStation Home.
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PlayStation Plus
Main article: PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus (commonly abbreviated PS+ and occasionally referred to as PSN Plus) is a premium PlayStation
Network subscription service that was officially unveiled at E3 2010 by Jack Tretton, President and CEO of SCEA.
Rumors of such service had been in speculation since Kaz Hirai's announcement at TGS 2009 of a possible paid
service for PSN but with the current PSN service still available. Launched alongside PS3 firmware 3.40 and PSP
firmware 6.30 on June 29, 2010, the paid-for subscription service provides users with enhanced services on the
PlayStation Network, on top of the current PSN service which is still available with all of its features. These
enhancements include the ability to have demos, game and system software updates download automatically to
PlayStation 3. Subscribers also get early or exclusive access to some betas, game demos, premium downloadable
content and other PlayStation Store items. North American users also get a free subscription to Qore. Users may
choose to purchase either a one-year or a three-month subscription to PlayStation Plus.
PlayStation Store
Main article: PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) and PlayStation
Portable (PSP) game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both
for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games, add-on content, playable demos,
themes and game and movie trailers. The service is accessible through an icon on the XMB on PS3 and PSP. The
PS3 store can also be accessed on PSP via a Remote Play connection to PS3. The PSP store is also available via the
PC application, Media Go. As of September 24, 2009, there have been over 600 million downloads from the
PlayStation Store worldwide.
The PlayStation Store is updated with new content each Tuesday in North America, and each Wednesday in PAL
regions. In May 2010 this was changed from Thursdays to allow PSP games to be released digitally, closer to the
time they are released on UMD.
What's New
What's New was announced at Gamescom 2009 and was released on September 1, 2009, with PlayStation 3 system
software 3.0. The feature was to replace the existing [Information Board], which displayed news from the
PlayStation website associated with the user's region. The concept was developed further into a major PlayStation
Network feature, which interacts with the [Status Indicator] to display a ticker of all content, excluding recently
played content (currently in North America and Japan only).
The system displays the What's New screen by default instead of the [Games] menu (or [Video] menu, if a movie
was inserted) when starting up. What's New has four sections: "Our Pick", "Recently Played", latest information and
new content available in PlayStation Store. There are four kinds of content the What's New screen displays and links
to, on the sections. "Recently Played" displays the user's recently played games and online services only, whereas,
the other sections can contain website links, links to play videos and access to selected sections of the PlayStation
Store.
The PlayStation Store icons in the [Game] and [Video] section act similarly to the What's New screen, except that
they only display and link to games and videos in the PlayStation Store, respectively.
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PlayStation Home
Main article: PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social networking service for the PlayStation Network. Home allows users to
create a custom avatar, which can be groomed realistically. Users can edit and decorate their personal apartments,
avatars or club houses with free, premium or won content. Users can shop for new items or win prizes from PS3
games, or Home activities. Users interact and connect with friends and customise content in a virtual world. Home
also acts as a meeting place for users that want to play multiplayer games with others.
A closed beta began in Europe from May 2007 and expanded to other territories soon after. Home was delayed and
expanded several times before initially releasing. The Open Beta test was started on December 11, 2008. Home is
available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar. Membership is free and requires a PSN account.
Home features places to meet and interact, dedicated game spaces, developer spaces, company spaces and events.
The service undergoes a weekly maintenance and frequent updates. As of August 2011, Home has been downloaded
by over 23 million users.
Life with PlayStation
Main article: Life with PlayStation
Life with PlayStation, released on September 18, 2008 to succeed Folding@home, was retired November 6, 2012.
Life with PlayStation used virtual globe data to display news and information by city. Along with Folding@home
functionality, the application provided access to three other information "channels", the first being the Live Channel
offering news headlines and weather which were provided by Google News, The Weather Channel, the University of
WisconsinMadison Space Science and Engineering Center, among other sources. The second channel was the
World Heritage channel which offered historical information about historical sites. The third channel was the United
Village channel. United Village was designed to share information about communities and cultures worldwide. An
update allowed video and photo viewing in the application. The fourth channel was the USA exclusive PlayStation
Network Game Trailers Channel for direct streaming of game trailers.
Outage
Main article: PlayStation Network outage
On April 20, 2011, Sony shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity for a prolonged interval, revealing on
April 23 that this was due to "an external intrusion on our system". Sony later revealed that the personal information
of 77 million users might have been taken, including: names; addresses; countries; email addresses; birthdates;
PSN/Qriocity logins, passwords and handles/PSN online IDs. They also stated that it was possible that users' profile
data, including purchase history and billing address, and PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers
may have been obtained. There was no evidence that any credit card data had been taken, but the possibility could
not be ruled out, and Sony advised customers that their credit card data may have been obtained. Additionally, the
credit card numbers were encrypted and Sony never collected the three digit CVC or CSC number from the back of
the credit cards which is required for authenticating some transactions. In response to the incident, Sony announced a
"Welcome Back" program, 30 days free membership of PlayStation Plus for all PSN members, two free
downloadable PS3 games, and a free one-year enrollment in an identity theft protection program.
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Sales and production costs
See also: PlayStation 3 launch Release data and pricing
Region units sold First available
Canada
"about 1.5 million" as of October 6, 2010[12]
November 17, 2006
Europe
(Includes UK and other PAL regions)
30 million as of December 19, 2012[12]
March 23, 2007
Japan
6,341,950 as of April 1, 2011[12]
November 11, 2006
United Kingdom
5 million as of October 11, 2012[12]
March 23, 2007
United States
13.5 million as of November 11, 2010[12]
November 17, 2006
Worldwide 80 million (as of November 2, 2013) November 11, 2006
Although its PlayStation predecessors had been very dominant against the competition and were hugely profitable
for Sony, PlayStation 3 had an inauspicious start, and Sony chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer initially could
not convince investors of a turnaround in its fortunes. The PS3 lacked the unique gameplay of the more affordable
Wii which became that generation's most successful console in terms of units sold. Furthermore, PS3 had to compete
directly with Xbox 360 which had a market head start, and as a result the platform no longer had exclusive titles that
the PS2 enjoyed such as the Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series (regarding cross-platform games, Xbox 360
versions were generally considered superior in 2006, although by 2008 the PS3 versions had reached parity or
surpassed), and it took longer than expected for PS3 to enjoy strong sales and close the gap with Xbox 360. Sony
also continued to lose money on each PS3 sold through 2010, although the redesigned "slim" PS3 has cut these
losses since then.
PlayStation 3's initial production cost is estimated by iSuppli to have been US$805.85 for the 20GB model and
US$840.35 for the 60GB model.
[13]
However, they were priced at US$499 and US$599 respectively, meaning that
units may have been sold at an estimated loss of $306 or $241 depending on model, if the cost estimates were
correct, and thus may have contributed to Sony's games division posting an operating loss of 232.3 billion
(US$1.97 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 2007. In April 2007, soon after these results were published, Ken
Kutaragi, President of Sony Computer Entertainment, announced plans to retire. Various news agencies, including
The Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that this was due to poor sales, while SCEI maintains that Kutaragi
had been planning his retirement for six months prior to the announcement.
In January 2008, Kaz Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, suggested that the console may start making a
profit by early 2009, stating that, "the next fiscal year starts in April and if we can try to achieve that in the next
fiscal year that would be a great thing" and that "[profitability] is not a definite commitment, but that is what I would
like to try to shoot for". However, market analysts Nikko Citigroup have predicted that PlayStation 3 could be
profitable by August 2008. In a July 2008 interview, Hirai stated that his objective is for PlayStation 3 to sell 150
million units by its ninth year, surpassing PlayStation 2's sales of 140 million in its nine years on the market. In
January 2009 Sony announced that their gaming division was profitable in Q3 2008.
Since the system's launch, production costs have been reduced significantly as a result of phasing out the Emotion
Engine chip and falling hardware costs. The cost of manufacturing Cell microprocessors has fallen dramatically as a
result of moving to the 65nm production process, and Blu-ray Disc diodes have become cheaper to manufacture. As
of January 2008, each unit cost around $400 to manufacture; by August 2009, Sony had reduced costs by a total of
70%, meaning it only costs Sony around $240 per unit.
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Critical reception
Early PlayStation 3 reviews after launch were critical of its high price and lack of quality games. Game developers
regarded the architecture as difficult to program for. PS3 was, however, commended for its hardware including its
Blu-ray home theater capabilities and graphics potential.
Critical and commercial reception to PS3 improved over time, after a series of price revisions, Blu-ray's victory over
HD DVD, and the release of several well received titles. Ars Technica's original launch review gave PS3 only a 6/10,
but second review of the console in June 2008 rated it a 9/10. In September 2009, IGN named PlayStation3 the 15th
best gaming console of all time, behind both of its competitors: Wii (10th) and Xbox 360 (6th). However, PS3 has
won IGN's "Console Showdown"based on which console offers the best selection of games released during each
yearin three of the four years since it began (2008, 2009 and 2011, with Xbox winning in 2010). IGN judged
PlayStation 3 to have the best game line-up of 2008, based on their review scores in comparison to those of Wii and
Xbox 360. In a comparison piece by PC mag's Will Greenwald in June 2012, PS3 was selected as an overall better
console compared to Xbox 360. Pocket-lint said of the console "The PS3 has always been a brilliant games console,"
and that "For now, this is just about the best media device for the money."
Original model
PS3 was given the number-eight spot on PC World magazine's list of "The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006", where it
was criticized for being "Late, Expensive and Incompatible". GamesRadar ranked PS3 as the top item in a feature on
game-related PR disasters, asking how Sony managed to "take one of the most anticipated game systems of all time
and within the space of a year turn it into a hate object reviled by the entire internet", but added that despite its
problems the system has "untapped potential". Business Week summed up the general opinion by stating that it was
"more impressed with what [the PlayStation 3] could do than with what it currently does".
Developers have also found the machine difficult to program for. In 2007, Gabe Newell of Valve said "The PS3 is a
total disaster on so many levels, I think it's really clear that Sony lost track of what customers and what developers
wanted". He continued "I'd say, even at this late date, they should just cancel it and do a do over. Just say, 'This was
a horrible disaster and we're sorry and we're going to stop selling this and stop trying to convince people to develop
for it'". Doug Lombardi VP of Marketing for Valve has since stated that they are interested in developing for the
console and are looking to hire talented PS3 programmers for future projects. He later restated Valve's position,
"Until we have the ability to get a PS3 team together, until we find the people who want to come to Valve or who are
at Valve who want to work on that, I don't really see us moving to that platform". At Sony's E3 2010 press
conference, Newell made a live appearance to recant his previous statements, citing Sony's move to make the system
more developer friendly, and to announce that Valve would be developing Portal 2 for the system. He also claimed
that the inclusion of Steamworks (Valve's system to automatically update their software independently) would help
to make the PS3 version of Portal 2 the best console version on the market.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has criticized PS3's high development costs and inferior attach rate and
return to that of Xbox 360 and Wii. He believes these factors are pushing developers away from working on the
console. In an interview with The Times Kotick stated "I'm getting concerned about Sony; the PlayStation 3 is losing
a bit of momentum and they don't make it easy for me to support the platform." He continued, "It's expensive to
develop for the console, and the Wii and the Xbox are just selling better. Games generate a better return on invested
capital (ROIC) on the Xbox than on the PlayStation." Kotick also claimed that Activision Blizzard may stop
supporting the system if the situation is not addressed. "[Sony has] to cut the [PS3's retail] price, because if they
don't, the attach rates are likely to slow. If we are being realistic, we might have to stop supporting Sony." Kotick
received heavy criticism for the statement, notably from developer Bioware who questioned the wisdom of the
threatened move, and referred to the statement as "silly."
Despite the initial negative press, several websites have given the system very good reviews mostly regarding its
hardware. CNET United Kingdom praised the system saying, "the PS3 is a versatile and impressive piece of
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home-entertainment equipment that lives up to the hype [...] the PS3 is well worth its hefty price tag." CNET
awarded it a score of 8.8 out of 10 and voted it as its number one "must-have" gadget, praising its robust graphical
capabilities and stylish exterior design while criticizing its limited selection of available games. In addition, both
Home Theater Magazine and Ultimate AV have given the system's Blu-ray playback very favorable reviews, stating
that the quality of playback exceeds that of many current standalone Blu-ray Disc players.
In an interview, Kazuo Hirai, chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment argued for the choice of a complex
architecture. Hexus Gaming reviewed the PAL version and summed the review up by saying, "as the PlayStation 3
matures and developers start really pushing it, we'll see the PlayStation 3 emerge as the console of choice for
gaming." At GDC 2007, Shiny Entertainment founder Dave Perry stated, "I think that Sony has made the best
machine. It's the best piece of hardware, without question".
Slim model and rebranding
The PlayStation 3 Slim received extremely positive reviews as well as a boost in sales; less than 24 hours after its
announcement, PS3 Slim took the number-one bestseller spot on Amazon.com in the video games section for fifteen
consecutive days. It regained the number-one position again one day later. PS3 Slim also received praise from PC
World giving it a 90 out of 100 praising its new repackaging and the new value it brings at a lower price as well as
praising its quietness and the reduction in its power consumption. This is in stark contrast to the original PS3's
launch in which it was given position number-eight on their "The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006" list.
CNET awarded PS3 Slim four out of five stars praising its Blu-ray capabilities, 120GB hard drive, free online
gaming service and more affordable pricing point, but complained about the lack of backward compatibility for
PlayStation 2 games. TechRadar gave PS3 Slim four and a half stars out of five praising its new smaller size and
summed up its review stating "Over all, the PS3 Slim is a phenomenal piece of kit. It's amazing that something so
small can do so much". However, they criticized the exterior design and the build quality in relation to the original
model.
Eurogamer called it "a product where the cost-cutting has - by and large - been tastefully done" and said "It's nothing
short of a massive win for Sony."
Super Slim model
The Super Slim model of PS3 has received positive reviews. Gaming website Spong praised the new Super Slim's
quietness, stating "The most noticeable noise comes when the drive seeks a new area of the disc, such as when
starting to load a game, and this occurs infrequently." Also including that the fans were quieter than that of Slim, and
going on to praise the new smaller, lighter size. Criticism was placed on the new disc loader, stating: "The cover can
be moved by hand if you wish, there's also an eject button to do the work for you, but there is no software eject from
the triangle button menus in the Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface. In addition, you have to close the cover by hand,
which can be a bit fiddly if it's upright, and the PS3 won't start reading a disc unless you do [close the cover]." They
also said there is no real drop in retail price.
Tech media website CNET gave new Super Slim 4 out of 5 stars ("Excellent"), saying "The Super Slim PlayStation
3 shrinks a powerful gaming machine into an even tinier package while maintaining the same features as its
predecessors: a great gaming library and a strong array of streaming services [...]", whilst also criticising the "cheap"
design and disc-loader, stating: "Sometimes [the cover] doesn't catch and you feel like you're using one of those old
credit card imprinter machines. In short, it feels cheap. You don't realize how convenient autoloading disc trays are
until they're gone. Whether it was to cut costs or save space, this move is ultimately a step back." The criticism also
was due to price, stating the cheapest Super Slim model was still more expensive than the cheapest Slim model, and
that the smaller size and bigger hard drive shouldn't be considered an upgrade when the hard drive on a Slim model
is easily removed and replaced. They did praise that the hard drive of the Super Slim model is "the easiest yet.
Simply sliding off the side panel reveals the drive bay, which can quickly be unscrewed." They also stated that whilst
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the Super Slim model is not in any way an upgrade, it could be an indicator as to what's to come. "It may not be
revolutionary, but the Super Slim PS3 is the same impressive machine in a much smaller package. There doesn't
seem to be any reason for existing PS3 owners to upgrade, but for the prospective PS3 buyer, the Super Slim is
probably the way to go if you can deal with not having a slot-loading disc drive."
Pocket-Lint gave Super Slim a very positive review saying "It's much more affordable, brilliant gaming,
second-to-none video and media player." They think it is "A blinding good console and one that will serve you for
years to come with second-hand games and even new releases. Without doubt, if you don't have a PS3, this is the
time to buy." They gave Super Slim 4 and a half stars out of 5.
Technology magazine T3 gave the Super Slim model a positive review, stating the console is almost "nostalgic" in
the design similarities to the original "fat" model, "While we dont know whether it will play PS3 games or Blu-ray
discs any differently yet, the look and feel of the new PS3 Slim is an obvious homage to the original PS3, minus the
considerable excess weight. Immediately we would be concerned about the durability of the top loading tray that
feels like it could be yanked straight out off the console, but ultimately it all feels like Sony's nostalgic way of
signing off the current generation console in anticipation for the PS4."
Notes
[1] http:/ / playstation. com/ ps3/
[2] quick reference manual (http:/ / us. playstation. com/ support/ manuals/ ps3/ ), for 20GB US PlayStation 3 page 14
[3] Initially used HDMI 1.3a specification, but was upgraded to 1.4 with the introduction of stereoscopic 3D for gaming and Blu-ray playback
(via firmware update). PlayStation3 does not currently support any other HDMI 1.4 capabilities.
[4] Sands A, Tseng V. (2009). Game Console Failure Rates: Wii 9 times more reliable than Xbox 360, 4 times more than PS3 (http:/ / www.
squaretrade.com/ pages/ xbox360-ps3-wii-reliability-08-2009/ ). SquareTrade.
[5] http:/ / www. qj. net/ ps3/ news/ ps3-dual-boot-gameos/ linux-cfw-released. html
[6] [6] Sources:
[7] [7] Sources:
[8] "How to access the YUPPTV app" (https:/ / us. en. kb.sony. com/ app/ answers/ detail/ a_id/ 37077). Sony.com. 2013-03-12.
[9] "YuppTV Application Overview" (http:/ / www.youtube. com/ watch?v=k3QoJLhHmMw). Playstation.com.
[10] [10] Sources:
[11] Sony PS3 network glitch affects thousands (http:/ / www. telegraph. co. uk/ technology/ sony/ 7344758/
Sony-PS3-network-glitch-affects-thousands. html) The Daily Telegraph, March 1, 2010
[12] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=PlayStation_3& action=edit
[13] [13] Sources:
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to PlayStation 3.
Official websites
Asia (http:/ / asia. playstation. com/ hk/ en/ ps3/ )
Australia (http:/ / au. playstation. com/ ps3/ )
Canada (http:/ / ca. playstation. com/ ps3/ )
New Zealand (http:/ / nz. playstation. com/ ps3/ )
United Kingdom (http:/ / uk. playstation. com/ ps3/ )
United States (http:/ / us. playstation. com/ ps3/ )
Auxiliary sites by Sony
PlayStation 3
564
Hardware press images (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080710053730/ http:/ / www. scee. presscentre. com/
imagelibrary/ default. asp?SubjectID=1530)
User's guide (http:/ / manuals. playstation. net/ document/ en/ ps3/ current/ index. html)
Directories
PlayStation 3 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Sony/ PlayStation_3) at
DMOZ
Retro Duo
565
Retro Duo
Retro Duo
Manufacturer Retro-Bit
Generation Seventh Generation
Retail availability
NA
2008
Media NES/SNES/SFami ROM Cartridge
CPU 8-bit & 16-bit
Controller input 2 SNES controller ports
Backward
compatibility
Nintendo, Super NES/Super Famicom
The Retro Duo is a video-game clone console developed by Retro-Bit and distributed by Innex, Inc. The Retro Duo
is an 8-bit and 16-bit video game console. It was designed to fit the needs of 8-bit and 16-bit console gamers and
plays game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES/Super Famicom. There have been
quite a few clone systems made in recent years, but the difference with this one is that it plays American, European,
and Japanese games and has the highest compatibility over any other clone system. Another notable difference is that
S-video is now compatible when playing SNES games. The console is not licensed by Nintendo and is not fully
compatible with every game released for the two game systems; however, the majority of games will function
properly. While it has only been released in Canada and the United States, it can still be used in Europe and Japan
with a power plug adapter. The console is compatible with official and third party SNES controllers.
Reviews of the Retro Duo have praised its compatibility for games many other clone consoles struggle with (due to
hardware issues) such as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse on the NES, Star Fox on the SNES, and the Game Genie
cheat cartridge. The Retro Duo is also compatible with the Super Game Boy device. The Retro Duo was released in
four different color schemes: white/blue, silver/black, black/red, red/gold limited edition version. The new 3.0
released fixed many of the previous 2 versions, including the compatibility with Castlevania III and came as a
red/blue Mascot edition.
Compatibility
The Retro Duo Portable, able to play SNES, NES
& Genesis games
List of known incompatible games:
720 (NTSC)
Battletoads (Game hangs after level 2, though a cheat allows the
player to jump to level 3) (NTSC)
Duck Hunt (NES Zapper cannot be plugged in; works with NES to
SNES adapting cables that have accessory support. However, be
aware that the NES Zapper only works with a CRT TV set.)
Maniac Mansion
Paperboy (Controller is not recognized) (NTSC)
Retro Duo
566
Rolling Thunder (Works with Retro Duo 2.0 and above)
Most or all the PAL games listed below are not playable on a real NTSC Super NES (even with its security chip
disabled). Their inclusion here does not reflect incompatibilities between the (NTSC) Retro Duo and a real NTSC
Super NES.
ActRaiser 2 (NTSC)
Batman Returns (PAL)
Donald in Maui Mallard (PAL)
Donkey Kong Country (PAL)
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (PAL)
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (PAL)
EarthBound (NTSC) (Minor Incompatibility. Antipiracy check will activate, this will cause increased enemy
spawn rate. - Highly Playable)
GP-1: Part II (PAL)
Illusion of Time (PAL)
Kirby's Fun Pak (PAL)
Lethal Enforcers (PAL)
Another World (NTSC) (Screen border flashes, sprites either load distorted or not at all.) (Out of this World in
North America.)
Plok (PAL)
Pilotwings (PAL) (Minor Incompatibility. Moving target platforms blink and sometimes produce a mirroring
effect. Minor screen flashes and haze. - Highly Playable)
Secret of Mana (PAL)
Starwing (PAL)
Stunt Race FX (PAL)
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (PAL) (Stage 3-2 boss is invisible and stage 4 is completely black except for enemies,
player and a few certain platforms - unplayable)
Super Mario All-Stars (PAL)
Super Mario All Stars + Super Mario World (PAL)
Super Mario Kart (PAL) (Plays, but graphics are extremely glitchy)
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (Software revisions 1.2 and 1.3)
Super Metroid (PAL)
Terranigma (PAL) (trips the antipiracy check like every other clone)
Controllers / Accessories (compatible with NES to SNES cables but only ones with accessory support)
R.O.B.
NES Zapper
Power Pad
NES Advantage
NES Max
Power Glove
Retro Duo
567
Retro Duo Portable
Retro-Bit also has a portable version of the console, the Retro Duo Portable, released with a black case on January
23, 2012, and later with a red case on September 25, 2012.
See also
FC Twin Video Game System
Generation NEX
References
Retro Duo: Nintendo NES and SNES Hybrid (http:/ / www. modernclassicgaming. com/
retro-duo-nintendo-nes-and-snes-hybrid)
Vii
568
Vii
For other uses, see VII (disambiguation).
Vii
Sport Vii
Manufacturer JungleTac (Jungle Soft), KenSingTon
Media Cartridges and built-in games
CPU 16-bit Sunplus SPG
Storage 8.5 MB of Internal Memory for Saving
Controller input 2.4G Wireless Handybar Controller
Best-selling game VC-1 (bundled with blue Vii), VC-2 (bundled with white Vii), VC-3 (bundled with pink Vii)
JungleTac Vii, games, and Accessories
JungleTac's Sport Vii (d ' e) is a Bootleg video game console
similar in aspect to Nintendo's Wii.
[1]
Originally released in China in
2007, according to Engadget China the console used to sell for 1,280
Yuan (approximately US$195); as of 2009 the Vii sells for a
substantially lower price at 443 Yuan (approximately US$68.) The Vii
is not a competitive console in the current generation; instead, it
competes in the "plug-in TV game" genre of inexpensive consoles with
built-in games. It is based on the 16-bit Sunplus SPG CPU.
The Vii's Handybar controller is similar in size and design to the Wii
Remote. It features motion detection but not the pointing capability of
the Wii Remote.
The Vii handybars also come in:
Arctic White
Hot Pink
Mint Blue.
[2]
A redesign of the console, colloquially called the Vii 2 by bloggers, features remodeled controllers and a console
design reminiscent of the Nintendo Entertainment System and the PlayStation 3,
[3]
as well as support for both NTSC
and PAL televisions.
[4]
In 2008, the Vii was released in Japan under the name V-Sports (Sport Vii).
[5]
Vii
569
Games
Happy Tennis - a tennis game (clone of Wii Sports Tennis)
Catch Fish - a fishing game (clone of Wii Play Fishing)
Bowling - a bowling game (clone of Wii Sports Bowling)
Alacrity Golf - a minigolf game (clone of Carnival Games: Mini-Golf)
Table Tennis - a table tennis game (clone of Wii Play Table Tennis)
Smart Dart - a simulated darts game
Fry Egg - a cooking game (clone of Cooking Mama)
Bird Knight - a tilt-to-play game (clone of Balloon Fight)
Fever Move - a music and dance game (clones of Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero)
Come On A distance game, in which one feeds seals
Fantasy Baseball a baseball game (clone of Wii Sports Baseball)
Free Craps a shake Dice Roller designed to simulate dice.
In addition to the games that were included with the first release of the Vii (Free Craps, which was not included on
Vii 2), all models of the Vii also include a cartridge entitled 7in1 or 10in1 which features seven or ten additional
games.
Three different cartridges exist:
VC-1 Exclusives:
MaJong13 - a Mahjong game
MaJong16 - Similar to MaJong13
VC-1 and VC-2 cartridges contain:
Bubble Blaster - a Puzz Loop/Zuma like game
Jewel Master 2 - a Magic Jewelry/Columns like game
Pinball Fish - a Breakout like game
Squirrel Bobble - a Puzzle Bobble/Bust-A-Move like game
Lightning Plan - a Silkworm like game
Several other games have also been released in cartridge format.
[6]
Some examples of these are:
VC-2 Exclusives:
"Plumber" - a platformer game
"Mr Onion" - a Donkey Kong like game
"Fire Fighter" - a Fire like game
"Dream Bubble" - a version of Tetris
"Bump Jump" - an Arkanoid-like game.
VC-3 Exclusives:
"Brave Kaka" - a Mario Bros. clone
"Hero Legend" - a clone of Don Doko Don
"Rapid Stream" - a submarine game
"Super Move Fun" - a Bejeweled like game
"Magic Jelly" - a Bomberman meets Q*Bert like game
"Bump Bomb" - A Marbles like game
"Tiger Rescue" - a vertical scrolling shooter
Vii
570
VG Pocket Caplet
The games listed below are games that are also on the VG Pocket Caplet, a handheld also made by JungleTac.
"Pinball fish" aka Underwater Pinball
"Bubble Blaster"
"Plumber" aka Codename: Plumber
"Jewel Master 2"
"Magic Jelly"
"Mr. Onion"
"Dream Bubble" aka Bubble Wubble
"Hero Legend" aka Legendary Hero
"Tiger Rescue"
"Bump Jump" aka Battle Blocks II
Zone 60 and Wireless 60
While the Vii itself appears to no longer be in production, JungleTac produced games for at least two other similar
plug-and-play consoles, the Zone 60 and Wireless 60, and many Vii titles and similar games appear on these two
consoles. However, these consoles' controllers do not have true motion sensors as the Vii does, so the controls are
simplified to the point where any motion just triggers a press of the A button. As a result, many of the games need to
use power meters to determine distance or power.
Titles that appear are:
Bowling
Fantasy Baseball (renamed Baseball Practice)
Catch Fish (renamed Fishing)
Alacrity golf (renamed Golf)
Come On! (Wireless 60 only, renamed Sea-world)
Free Craps (Wireless 60 only)
Bubble Blaster (Zone 60 only, renamed Ball Blaster)
Brave Kaka (Zone 60 only, renamed Brave Heart)
Bump Bomb (Zone 60 only, renamed Lady Bugs)
Bump Jump (Wireless 60 only)
Fire Fighter
Hero Legend
Jewel Master 2
Lightning Plan
Magic Jelly (Wireless 60 only)
Mr. Onion
Pinball Fish (Wireless 60 only)
Plumber (Zone 60 only, renamed Plumber Man)
Rapid Stream
Squirrel Bobble (Zone 60 only)
Tiger Rescue (Zone 60 only)
Vii
571
References
[1] f g hEngadgeti j k l 0Vii$mWii (http:/ / cn. engadget. com/ 2007/ 10/ 13/ engadget-vii-vs-wii-first-shot/ )
[2] Vii - Machine Comes in Different Colours. Gameplay Screenshots Out (http:/ / news. softpedia. com/ news/
Vii-Machine-Comes-in-Different-Colours-Gameplay-Screenshots-Out-68411. shtml)
[3] Keepin it real fake, part CI: the [[Vii 2 (http:/ / www. engadget. com/ 2007/ 12/ 13/ keepin-it-real-fake-part-xcx-the-vii-2/ )] - Engadget]
[4] Megaton - Vii 2 has NTSC/PAL support! (http:/ / gonintendo. com/ ?p=31734)
[5] The Vii rises in Japan as V-Sports (http:/ / wii.qj. net/ The-Vii-rises-in-Japan-as-V-Sports/ pg/ 49/ aid/ 117099)
[6] More Vii games (http:/ / gonintendo.com/ ?p=31658)
External links
Official Vii page of KenSingTon, the manufacturer/distributor of the Vii (http:/ / www. kst1388. com/ vii. htm)
(defunct)
Engadget China review (translated by Google) (http:/ / translate. google. com/ translate?u=http:/ / cn. engadget.
com/ 2007/ 10/ 13/ engadget-vii-vs-wii-first-shot/ & langpair=zh|en& hl=en& ie=UTF-8& oe=UTF-8& prev=/
language_tools)
Pictures of the Vii (http:/ / cn. engadget. com/ 2007/ 11/ 04/ vii-first-open-box-video-shot/ ) (Chinese)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vii.
Wii
This article is about the Wii. For its successor, see Wii U.
Wii
Original Wii console with Wii Remote
Developer Nintendo
Wii
572
Manufacturer Foxconn
Release date
Wii
JP
December 2, 2006
NA
November 19, 2006
EU
December 8, 2006
AUS
December 7, 2006
Wii Family Edition
NA
October 23, 2011
EU
November 4, 2011
Wii Mini
CA
December 7, 2012
EU
March 15, 2013
UK
March 22, 2013
[1]
US
November 17, 2013
Retail availability November 19, 2006 (details)
Discontinued
Wii
JP
October 20, 2013
EU
October 20, 2013
Wii Family Edition
EU
October 20, 2013
Units shipped
Worldwide: 101.15 million (as of 30 June 2014[2]) (details)
Media 12cm Wii Optical Disc
8cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc
CPU IBM PowerPC "Broadway"
Storage 512MB Internal flash memory
SD card, SDHC card
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card
Graphics ATI "Hollywood"
Controller input Wii Remote (Plus), Wii Balance Board, Nintendo GameCube controller, Nintendo DS
Connectivity Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth
2 USB 2.0
LAN Adapter (via USB)
Online services
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (closed May 20, 2014)
[3][4]
, WiiConnect24, Wii Shop Channel
Best-selling game
Wii Sports (pack-in, except in Japan and South Korea) 82.54 million (As of 31 March
2014[2])
Mario Kart Wii, 35.53 million (as of 31 March 2014[2])
Backward
compatibility
Nintendo GameCube
Predecessor Nintendo GameCube
Successor Wii U
Wii
573
The Wii (/wi/) is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a
seventh-generation console, the Wii competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states
that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others. As of the first quarter of 2012, the Wii
leads the generation over PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales; in December 2009, the console broke the
sales record for a single month in the United States.
The Wii introduced the Wii Remote controller, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and which detects
movement in three dimensions. Another notable feature of the console is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive
messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.
[5]
Like other seventh-generation consoles, it features
a game download service, called "Virtual Console", which features emulated games from past systems.
It succeeds the Nintendo GameCube, with early models being fully backward-compatible with all GameCube games
and most accessories. Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled it at the
2005 E3. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game
Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in
the four key markets.
In late 2011 Nintendo released a reconfigured model, the "Wii Family Edition", which removed Nintendo
GameCube compatibility; this model was not released in Japan. The Wii Mini, Nintendo's first major console
redesign since the compact SNES, succeeded the standard Wii model on December 7, 2012 in Canada. The Wii Mini
can only play Wii optical discs, as it omits GameCube and online game capabilities. The Wii's successor, the Wii U,
was released on November 18, 2012. On October 20, 2013, Nintendo confirmed it had discontinued production of
the Wii in Japan and Europe.
History
See also: History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
The console was conceived in 2001, as the Nintendo GameCube was first released. According to an interview with
Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, the concept involved focusing on a new form of player interaction. "The
consensus was that power isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't coexist. It's like having
only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction."
Two years later, engineers and designers were brought together to develop the concept further. By 2005 the
controller interface had taken form, but a public showing at that year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was
canceled. Miyamoto stated that "[W]e had some troubleshooting to do. So we decided not to reveal the controller and
instead we displayed just the console." Nintendo president Satoru Iwata later unveiled and demonstrated the Wii
Remote at the September Tokyo Game Show.
The Nintendo DS is said to have influenced the Wii's design. Designer Ken'ichiro Ashida noted, "We had the DS on
our minds as we worked on the Wii. We thought about copying the DS's touch-panel interface and even came up
with a prototype." The idea was eventually rejected because of the notion that the two gaming systems would be
identical. Miyamoto also stated, "[...] if the DS had flopped, we might have taken the Wii back to the drawing
board." In June 2011 Nintendo unveiled the prototype of its successor to the Wii, to be known as Wii U.
Name
The console was known by the code name "Revolution" until April 27, 2006, immediately before E3. The Nintendo
Style Guide refers to the console as "simply Wii, not Nintendo Wii", making it the first home console Nintendo has
marketed outside Japan without the company name in its trademark. While "Wiis" is a commonly used plural form
for the console, Nintendo has stated that the official plural form is "Wii systems" or "Wii consoles." Nintendo's
spelling of "Wii" (with two lower-case "i" characters) is meant to resemble two people standing side-by-side
(representing players gathering together) and to represent the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The company has given
Wii
574
many reasons for this name choice since the announcement; however, the best known is:
Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter
what language they speak. No confusion.
Despite Nintendo's explanation of the name, some video game developers and members of the press reacted
negatively to the change. They preferred "Revolution" over "Wii", and Forbes expressed a fear "that the name would
convey a continued sense of 'kidiness' to the console." The BBC reported the day after the name was announced that
"a long list of puerile jokes, based on the name," had appeared on the Internet. Nintendo of America's president
Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged the initial reaction and further explained the change:
Revolution as a name is not ideal; it's long, and in some cultures, it's hard to pronounce. So we wanted something that was short, to the point,
easy to pronounce, and distinctive. That's how 'Wii,' as a console name, was created.
[6]
Nintendo of America's Vice President of Corporate Affairs Perrin Kaplan defended its choice of "Wii" over
"Revolution" and responded to critics of the name by stating, "Live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with
it and hopefully they'll arrive at the same place."
Launch
Wii retail display boxes
Main article: Wii launch
On September 14, 2006 Nintendo announced release information for
Japan, North and South America, Oceania, Asia and Europe including
dates, prices, and projected unit-distribution figures. It was announced
that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the
Americas, and 33 titles would be available at its launch.
[7]
The Wii was
launched in the United States on November 19, 2006 for $249.99, and
was later launched in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2006 for
179. The United Kingdom experienced a widespread shortage of Wii
units in many High-Street and online stores, and was unable to fulfill
all pre-orders at its release. The Wii was launched in South Korea on
April 26, 2008 and Taiwan on July 12.
Software library
See also: List of Wii games, List of products published by Nintendo, List of WiiWare games and Virtual Console
Wii optical disc in case
Retail copies of games are supplied on proprietary, DVD-type Wii
optical discs which are packaged in keep cases with instructions. In
Europe, the boxes have a triangle at the bottom corner of the paper
sleeve-insert side. The triangle is color-coded to identify the region for
which the title is intended and which manual languages are included.
The console supports regional lockout (software purchased in a region
can be only played on that region's hardware).
New games in Nintendo's flagship franchises (including The Legend of
Zelda, Super Mario, Pokmon, and Metroid) have been released, in
addition to many original titles and third-party-developed games.
Wii
575
Nintendo has received third-party support from companies such as Ubisoft, Sega, Square Enix, Activision Blizzard,
Electronic Arts and Capcom, with more games being developed for Wii than for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
Nintendo also launched the New Play Control! line, a selection of enhanced GameCube games for the Wii featuring
updated controls.
The Virtual Console service allows Wii owners to play games originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment
System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis and Sega Mark III/Sega
Master System, NEC's TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, SNK's Neo Geo console, Commodore 64 and arcade games.
Virtual Console games are distributed over broadband Internet via the Wii Shop Channel, and are saved to the Wii
internal flash memory or to a removable SD card. Once downloaded, Virtual Console games can be accessed from
the Wii Menu (as individual channels) or from an SD card via the SD Card Menu. There is also a Wii homebrew
community, dedicated to creating and playing content unendorsed by Nintendo.
The game development suite Unity can be used to create official Wii games; however, the developer must be
authorized by Nintendo to develop games for the console. Games must also be accepted by Nintendo to be sold.
895.22 million Wii games have been sold worldwide as of 31 March 2014[2], and 103 titles have surpassed the
million-unit mark as of 31 March 2011[2]. The most successful game (Wii Sports, which comes bundled with the
console in most regions) has sold 82.54 million copies worldwide as of 31 March 2014[2], surpassing Super Mario
Bros. as the best-selling game of all time. The best-selling unbundled game is Mario Kart Wii, with 35.53 million
units sold.
Launch titles
Further information: List of Wii games
Twenty-one games were announced for launch day in North and South America, with another twelve announced for
release later in 2006. Wii Sports was included with the console bundle in all regions except Japan and South Korea.
In contrast to the price of $60 quoted for many seventh-generation games in the US, Wii titles cost (at most) $50 at
major US retail stores.
Key:
NA/SA
North America/South America
EU
Europe
JP
Japan
AUS
Australasia
Launch title Region(s) released Launch title Region(s) released
Avatar: The Last Airbender
NA/SA
Barnyard
NA/SA
Call of Duty 3 NA/SA

EU

AUS Cars NA/SA

EU

AUS
Crayon Shin-chan: Saikyou Kazoku Kasukabe King Wii
JP
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
NA/SA
Elebits
JP
Ennichi no Tatsujin
JP
Excite Truck
NA/SA
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
NA/SA
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection
EU
GT Pro Series NA/SA

EU

AUS
Happy Feet NA/SA

EU Kororinpa: Marble Mania
JP
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess NA/SA

JP

EU

AUS Machi Kuru Domino
JP
Madden NFL 07 NA/SA

EU Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
NA/SA
Wii
576
Monster 4x4: World Circuit NA/SA

EU Necro-Nesia
JP
Need for Speed: Carbon NA/SA

EU

AUS Open Season NA/SA

EU

AUS
Rampage: Total Destruction NA/SA

EU

AUS Rayman Raving Rabbids NA/SA

EU

AUS
Red Steel NA/SA

JP

EU

AUS SD Gundam G Breaker
JP
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab NA/SA

EU Super Fruit Fall
EU
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz NA/SA

JP

EU

AUS Super Swing Golf
JP
Tamagotchi: Party On!/Tamagotchi's Sparkling President
JP
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam NA/SA

EU

AUS
Trauma Center: Second Opinion NA/SA

JP WarioWare: Smooth Moves
JP
Wii Play JP

EU

AUS
Wii Sports
[8]
NA/SA

JP

EU

AUS
Wing Island
JP
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was promoted as a launch title, but its release was eventually postponed until August
27, 2007 in North America.
[9]
Satoru Iwata also initially wished for Super Smash Bros. Brawl to be released at
launch.
[1] What's in the box | Wii | Nintendo (http:/ / www.nintendo. co. uk/ Wii/ Wii-mini/ What-s-in-the-box/ What-s-in-the-box-726561. html)
[2] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Wii& action=edit
[3] https:/ / www. nintendo.com/ consumer/ network/ en_na/ network_status. jsp
[4] https:/ / www. nintendo.com/ whatsnew/ detail/ vyWpoM6CBIe6FjW8NIY7bvzOrgBURhzw
[5] Nintendo Corporation (http:/ / www.nintendo. co. jp/ n10/ e3_2006/ speech/ english. html) - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing
speech at E3 2006
[6] [6] Michael Donahoe, Shane Bettenhausen
[7] [7] See also:
[8] [8] Wii Sports came bundled with the Wii in all territories except Japan and South Korea.
[9] Nintendo's America Summer Line-up. (http:/ / wii. ign.com/ articles/ 790/ 790231p1. html) IGN. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
Demographic
Nintendo has hoped to target a wider demographic with its console than that of others in the seventh generation. At a
press conference for the then-upcoming Nintendo DS game Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies in
December 2006, Satoru Iwata insisted "We're not thinking about fighting Sony, but about how many people we can
get to play games. The thing we're thinking about most is not portable systems, consoles, and so forth, but that we
want to get new people playing games." This is reflected in Nintendo's series of television advertisements in North
America (directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan) and its Internet ads. The advertising slogans were
"Wii would like to play" and "Experience a new way to play"; the ads began November 15, 2006, and had a total
budget of over US$200million for the year.
[1]
The productions were Nintendo's first broad-based advertising
strategy and included a two-minute video clip showing an assortment of people enjoying the Wii system: urban
apartment-dwellers, ranchers, grandparents, and parents with their children. The music in the ads was from the song
"Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix)" by the Yoshida Brothers. The marketing campaign was successful; pensioners as old
as 103 were reported to be playing the Wii in the United Kingdom. A report by the British newspaper The People
also stated that Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has used the console.
Wii
577
Hardware
The Wii (top) compared in size to the
NGC, N64, North American SNES
and NES
The Wii is Nintendo's smallest home console to date; it measures 44mm
(1.73in) wide, 157mm (6.18in) tall and 215.4mm (8.48in) deep in its vertical
orientation, slightly larger than three DVD cases stacked together. The included
stand measures 55.4mm (2.18in) wide, 44mm (1.73in) tall and 225.6mm
(8.88in) deep. The system weighs 1.2kg (2.7lb), which makes it the lightest of
the three major seventh-generation consoles. The Wii may stand horizontally or
vertically. The prefix for the numbering scheme of the system and its parts and
accessories is "RVL-" for its code name, "Revolution".
The front of the console features an illuminated slot-loading optical media drive
which accepts only 12cm Wii Optical Discs and 8cm Nintendo GameCube
Game Discs. (Units sold in South Korea and later revisions do not support
GameCube discs.) The blue light in the disc slot illuminates briefly when the
console is turned on, and pulses when new data is received through
WiiConnect24. After the update (including System Menu 3.0), the disc-slot light
activates whenever a Wii disc is inserted or ejected. When there is no
WiiConnect24 information, the light stays off. The disc-slot light remains off
during game play or when using other features. Two USB ports are located at its
rear. An SD-card slot is located behind the cover on the front of the console.
The Wii launch package includes the console; a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically; a round, clear
stabilizer for the main stand; a Wii Remote; a Nunchuk attachment; a Sensor Bar; a removable stand for the bar; an
external power adapter; two AA batteries; a composite AV cable with RCA connectors; a SCART adapter in
European countries (component video and other types of cables are available separately); operation documentation
and (in Europe and the Americas) a copy of the game Wii Sports.
The disc reader of the Wii does not play DVD-Video, DVD-Audio or Compact Discs. A 2006 announcement stated
that a new version of the Wii (capable of DVD-Video playback) would be released in 2007; however, Nintendo
delayed its release to focus on meeting demand for the original console. Nintendo's initial announcement stated that
it "requires more than a firmware upgrade" to implement, and the capability could not be made available as an
upgrade option for the existing Wii. Despite this assertion, third parties have used Wii homebrew to add DVD
playback to unmodified Wii units. The Wii also can be hacked to enable an owner to use the console for activities
unintended by the manufacturer. Several brands of modchips are available for the Wii.
Although Nintendo showed the console and the Wii Remote in white, black, silver, lime-green and red before it was
released, it was only available in white for its first two-and-a-half years of sales. Black consoles were available in
Japan in August 2009, in Europe in November 2009 and in North America on May 9, 2010. A red Wii system bundle
was available in Japan on November 11, 2010, commemorating the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. The UK
version of the limited-edition red Wii was released October 29, 2010, preloaded with the original Donkey Kong
game. It also featured the Wii Remote Plus, a new version of the controller with integrated Wii Motion Plus
technology. The red Wii bundle was released in North America on November 7, 2010 with New Super Mario Bros.
Wii and the Wii Remote Plus.
On July 11, 2007, Nintendo unveiled the Wii Balance Board at E3 2007 with Wii Fit. It is a wireless balance board
accessory for the Wii, with multiple pressure sensors used to measure the user's center of balance. Namco Bandai
produced a mat controller (a simpler, less-sophisticated competitor to the balance board).
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Wii Remote
Main article: Wii Remote
A Nunchuk, Wii Remote and strap shown in hand
The Wii Remote is the primary controller for the console. It uses a
combination of built-in accelerometers and infrared detection to sense
its position in 3D space when pointed at the LEDs in the Sensor Bar.
This design allows users to control the game with physical gestures as
well as button-presses. The controller connects to the console using
Bluetooth with an approximate 30ft (9.1m) range, and features rumble
and an internal speaker. The Wii Remote can connect to expansion
devices through a proprietary port at the base of the controller. The
device bundled with the Wii retail package is the Nunchuk unit, which
features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two
trigger buttons. In addition, an attachable wrist strap can be used to prevent the player from unintentionally dropping
(or throwing) the Wii Remote. Nintendo has since offered a stronger strap and the Wii Remote Jacket to provide
extra grip and protection. The Wii MotionPlus is another accessory that connects to the Wii Remote to supplement
the accelerometer and sensor-bar capabilities, enabling actions to appear on the screen in real time. Further
augmenting the remote's capabilities is the Wii Vitality Sensor, a fingertip pulse oximeter sensor that connects
through the Wii Remote.
Memory storage
The Wii console contains 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, and features an SD card slot for external storage.
An SD card can be used for uploading photos and backing up saved game data and downloaded Virtual Console and
WiiWare games. To use the SD slot for transferring game saves, an update must be installed. Installation may be
initiated from the Wii options menu through an Internet connection, or by inserting a game disc containing the
update. Virtual Console data cannot be restored to any system except the unit of origin. An SD card can also be used
to create customized in-game music from stored MP3 files (as first shown in Excite Truck) and music for the
slide-show feature of the Photo Channel. Version 1.1 of the Photo Channel removed MP3 playback in favor of AAC
support.
At the Nintendo Fall Press Conference in October 2008, Satoru Iwata announced that Wii owners would have the
option to download WiiWare and Virtual Console content directly onto an SD card. The option would offer an
alternative to "address the console's insufficient memory storage". The announcement stated that it would be
available in Japan in spring 2009; Nintendo made the update available on March 25. In addition to the previously
announced feature, it lets the player load Virtual Console and WiiWare games directly from the SD card. The update
allows the use of SDHC cards, increasing the limit on SD card size from 2GB to 32GB.
Specifications
Nintendo has released few technical details regarding the Wii system, but some key facts have leaked through the
press. Although none of these reports has been officially confirmed, they generally indicate that the console is an
extension (or advancement) of the Nintendo GameCube architecture. Specifically, the analyses report that the Wii is
roughly 1.5 to 2times as powerful as its predecessor. Based on specifications, the Wii has been called the least
powerful of the major home consoles of its generation.
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Processors:
CPU: PowerPC-based Broadway processor, made
with a 90nm SOI CMOS process, reportedly
clocked at 729MHz
GPU: ATI Hollywood GPU made with a 90nm
CMOS process, reportedly
clocked at 243MHz
^ None of the clock rates have been confirmed by
Nintendo, IBM or ATI.
Memory:
88MB main memory (24MB internal 1T-SRAM
integrated into graphics package, 64MB external
GDDR3 SDRAM)
3MB embedded GPU texture memory and
framebuffer
IBM Wii Broadway CPU
ATI Wii Hollywood GPU
Ports and peripheral capabilities:
Up to 16 Wii Remote controllers (10 in standard
mode, 6 in one-time mode,
[2]
connected
wirelessly via Bluetooth)
Nintendo GameCube controller ports (4)
Nintendo GameCube memory-card slots (2)
SD memory-card slot (supports SDHC cards, as
of system menu 4.0)
USB 2.0 ports (2)
Sensor Bar power port
Accessory port on bottom of Wii Remote
Optional USB keyboard input in message board,
Wii Shop and Internet channels (as of 3.0 and 3.1
firmware update)
Mitsumi DWM-W004 WiFi 802.11b/g wireless
module
Compatible with optional USB 2.0 to Ethernet
LAN adapter
"AV Multi Out" port (See "Video" section)
Built-in content ratings systems:
BBFC, CERO, ESRB, ACB, OFLC (NZ), PEGI,
USK
Storage:
512MB built-in NAND flash memory
Expanded storage via SD and SDHC card memory (up to 32GB)
Nintendo GameCube memory card (required for GameCube game saves)
Slot-loading disc drive, compatible with 8cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc and
12cm Wii Optical Disc
Mask ROM by Macronix
Video:
Custom "AV Multi Out" port supporting composite video, YP
B
P
R
component video,
S-Video (NTSC consoles only) and RGB SCART (PAL consoles only)
480p (PAL/NTSC), 480i (PAL/NTSC) or 576i (PAL/SECAM), standard 4:3 and 16:9
anamorphic widescreen
Audio:
Main: Stereo Dolby Pro Logic II-capable
Controller: Built-in speaker
Power consumption:
18W when switched on
9.6W in standby with WiiConnect24 standby connection
1.3W in standby
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Technical problems
The first Wii system software update (via WiiConnect24) caused a small number of launch units to become
completely unusable. This forced users to either send their units to Nintendo for repairs (if they wished to retain their
saved data) or exchange them for free replacements.
With the release of dual-layer Wii Optical Discs, Nintendo of America stated that some Wii systems may have
difficulty reading the high-density software (due to a contaminated laser lens). Nintendo offers retail lens-cleaning
kits and free console repairs for owners who experience this issue.
The Wii Remote can lose track of the Wii system it has been set to, requiring that it be reset and resynchronized.
Nintendo's support website provides instructions for this process and troubleshooting related issues.
Legal issues
Interlink Electronics filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Nintendo over the pointing functionality of the Wii
Remote, claiming "loss of reasonable royalties, reduced sales and/or lost profits as a result of the infringing
activities" of Nintendo. The law firm Green Welling LLP filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo for its
"defective wrist straps". A Texas-based company (Lonestar Inventions) sued Nintendo, claiming that the company
copied one of Lonestar's patented capacitor designs and used it in the Wii console.
Anascape Ltd, a Texas-based firm, filed a lawsuit against Nintendo for patent infringement regarding Nintendo's
controllers. A July 2008 verdict banned Nintendo from selling the Classic Controller in the United States. Following
an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, on April 22, 2010 the Federal Circuit Court ruled in
Nintendo's favor.
On August 19, 2008 Hillcrest Laboratories Inc. filed a complaint against Nintendo with the U.S International Trade
Commission, alleging that the Wii Remote infringed on three of its patents. A fourth Hillcrest patent (for graphical
interfaces displayed on television screens) was also allegedly violated. Hillcrest sought a ban on Wii consoles
imported to the U.S. On August 24, 2009 Nintendo and Hillcrest reached a settlement, although the terms were not
publicly disclosed.
The trademark application for the Wii Remote was initially rejected by the United States Patent and Trademark
Office. The USPTO claimed that the word "remote" is commonly used, and therefore should not be trademarked.
The USPTO would accept Nintendo's trademark filing if the company disclaims exclusive rights to the word
"remote" in the term.
Features
The console has a number of internal features made available from its hardware and firmware components. The
hardware allows for extendability (via expansion ports), while the firmware (and some software) can receive periodic
updates via the WiiConnect24 service.
Wii Menu
Main article: Wii Menu
The Wii Menu interface is designed to emulate television channels. Separate channels are graphically displayed in a
grid, and are navigated using the pointer capability of the Wii Remote. Except for the Disc Channel, it is possible to
change the arrangement by holding down the A and B buttons to "grab" channels and move them around. There are
six primary channels: the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Forecast Channel and
News Channel. The latter two were initially unavailable at launch, but were later activated in updates. The Wii +
Internet Video Channel was installed in consoles manufactured after September 2008. Additional channels are
available for download from the Wii Shop Channel through WiiWare, and appear with each Virtual Console title;
these include the Everybody Votes Channel, Internet Channel, Check Mii Out Channel and the Nintendo Channel.
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As of 18 October 2010 (http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Wii& action=edit), Wii owners can download
the Netflix Channel from the Wii Shop Channel.
Backward compatibility
The first model of the Wii has Nintendo
GameCube Memory Card and controller slots to
provide backward compatibility.
Wii consoles with the original design are backward-compatible with all
Nintendo GameCube software, Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards
and controllers. Software compatibility is achieved by the slot-loading
drive's ability to accept Nintendo GameCube Game Discs. The console
supports progressive-scan output in 480p-enabled GameCube titles.
Peripherals can be connected via a set of four GameCube controller
sockets and two Memory Card slots (concealed by removable flip-open
panels). The console retains connectivity with the Game Boy Advance
and e-Reader through the Game Boy Advance Cable, which is used in
the same manner as with the GameCube; however, this feature can
only be accessed on select GameCube titles which previously utilized
it. South Korean units lack GameCube backward compatibility.
Redesigned "Family Edition" Wiis and the Wii Mini are not backwards
compatible.
A Wii console running a GameCube disc is restricted to GameCube functionality. A GameCube controller is
required to play GameCube titles; neither the Wii Remote nor the Classic Controller functions in this capacity. A
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card is also necessary to save game progress and content, since the Wii internal flash
memory will not save GameCube games.
Backward compatibility is limited in some areas. Online and LAN-enabled features for Nintendo GameCube titles
are unavailable on the Wii, since the console lacks serial ports for the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and
Modem Adapter. The Wii uses a proprietary port for video output, and is incompatible with all Nintendo GameCube
audio/video cables (composite video, S-Video, component video and RGB SCART). The console also lacks the
GameCube footprint and high-speed port needed for Game Boy Player support.
Nintendo DS connectivity
The Wii system supports wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS without any additional accessories. This
connectivity allows the player to use the Nintendo DS microphone and touchscreen as inputs for Wii games. The
first game utilizing Nintendo DS-Wii connectivity is Pokmon Battle Revolution. Players with either the Pokmon
Diamond or Pearl Nintendo DS games are able to play battles using the Nintendo DS as a controller. Final Fantasy
Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, released on both Nintendo DS and Wii, features connectivity in which both
games can advance simultaneously. Nintendo later released the Nintendo Channel, which allows Wii owners to
download game demos or additional data to their Nintendo DS in a process similar to that of a DS Download Station.
The console is also able to expand Nintendo DS games.
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Online connectivity
Main articles: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, WiiConnect24, Internet Channel and List of Wii Wi-Fi Connection
games
The Wii console connects to the Internet through its built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi or through a USB-to-Ethernet adapter;
either method allows players to access the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. Wireless encryption by WEP, WPA
(TKIP/RC4) and WPA2 (CCMP/AES) is supported. AOSS support was added in System Menu version 3.0. As with
the Nintendo DS, Nintendo does not charge for playing via the service; the 12-digit Friend Code system controls
how players connect to one another. Each Wii also has a unique, 16-digit Wii Code for use with Wii's non-game
features. The system also implements console-based software, including the Wii Message Board. One can also
connect to the Internet with third-party devices.
The service has several features for the console, including the Virtual Console, WiiConnect24, Internet Channel,
Forecast Channel, Everybody Votes Channel, News Channel and the Check Mii Out Channel. The Wii can also
communicate (and connect) with other Wii systems through a self-generated wireless LAN, enabling local wireless
multi-playing on different television sets. Battalion Wars 2 first demonstrated this feature for non-split screen
multi-playing between two (or more) televisions.
On April 9, 2008, the BBC announced that its online BBC iPlayer would be available on the Wii via the Internet
Channel browser; however, some users experienced difficulty with the service. On November 18, 2009, BBC iPlayer
on the Wii was relaunched as the BBC iPlayer Channel, a free download from the Wii Shop Channel; however, the
service is only available to people in the United Kingdom. On December 26, 2008, Nintendo announced a new video
channel for the Wii. As of 18 October 2010 (http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Wii& action=edit),
American and Canadian Wii owners can watch Netflix instantly on a channel (without requiring a disc).
Parental controls
The console features parental controls, which can be used to prohibit younger users from playing games with content
unsuitable for their age level. When one attempts to play a Wii or Virtual Console game, it reads the content rating
encoded in the game data; if this rating is greater than the system's set age level, the game will not load without a
password. Parental controls may also restrict Internet access, which blocks the Internet Channel and system-update
features. Since the console is restricted to Nintendo GameCube functionality when playing Nintendo GameCube
Game Discs, GameCube software is unaffected by Wii parental-control settings.
European units primarily use the PEGI rating system, while North American units use the ESRB rating system. The
Wii supports the rating systems of many countries, including CERO in Japan, the USK in Germany, the PEGI and
BBFC in the United Kingdom, the ACB in Australia and the OFLC in New Zealand. Homebrew developers have
reverse-engineered the function which Nintendo uses to recover lost parental-control passwords, creating a simple
script to obtain parental-control reset codes.
Reception
The Wii has received mixed reviews. The system was well received after its exhibition at E3 2006. At the event,
Nintendo's console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware. In the December 2006 issue
of Popular Science, the console was named a Grand Award Winner in home entertainment. Spike TV's Video Games
Award cited the Wii's breakthrough technology. GameSpot chose the console as having the best hardware in its
"Best and Worst 2006" awards. The system was also chosen as one of PC World magazine's 20 Most Innovative
Products of the Year. The console received a Golden Joystick for Innovation of the Year 2007 at the Golden Joystick
Awards. In the category of Engineering & Technology for Creation and Implementation of Video Games and
Platforms, Nintendo was awarded an Emmy Award for Game Controller Innovation by the National Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences.
[3]
In 2009, IGN named the Wii the 10th greatest console of all time (out of 25).
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The Wii's success caught third-party developers by surprise, leading to apologies for the quality of their early games.
In an interview with German news magazine Der Spiegel, Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot and Alain Corre admitted that
they made a mistake in rushing out their launch titles, promising to take future projects more seriously. Take-Two
Interactive, which released few games for the Nintendo GameCube, changed its stance towards Nintendo by placing
a higher priority on the Wii.
At the same time, criticism of the Wii Remote and Wii hardware specifications has surfaced. Former GameSpot
editor and Giantbomb.com founder Jeff Gerstmann stated that the controller's speaker produces low-quality sound,
while Factor 5 President Julian Eggebrecht criticized the hardware audio as substandard for a console of its
generation. UK-based developer Free Radical Design stated that the Wii hardware lacks the power necessary to run
the software it scheduled for release on other seventh-generation consoles.
[4]
Online connectivity of the Wii was also
criticized; Matt Casamassina of IGN compared it to the "entirely unintuitive" service provided for the Nintendo
DS.
[5]
Game designer and The Sims creator Will Wright shared his thoughts on the Wii in the context of the current console
generation: "The only next gen system I've seen is the Wii the PS3 and the Xbox 360 feel like better versions of
the last, but pretty much the same game with incremental improvement. But the Wii feels like a major jump not
that the graphics are more powerful, but that it hits a completely different demographic."
The Wii is seen as more physically demanding than other game consoles. Some Wii players have experienced a form
of tennis elbow, known as "Wiiitis". A study published in the British Medical Journal stated that Wii players use
more energy than they do playing sedentary computer games. While this energy increase may be beneficial to weight
management, it was not an adequate replacement for regular exercise. A case study published in the American
Physical Therapy Association's journal, Physical Therapy, focused on use of the Wii for rehabilitation in a teenager
with cerebral palsy. It is believed to be the first published research demonstrating physical-therapy benefits from use
of the gaming system. Researchers say the system complements traditional techniques.
[6]
In May 2010 the American
Heart Association (AHA) endorsed the Wii to encourage sedentary people to take the first step toward fitness. The
AHA heart icon covers the console and two of its more-active games, Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort.
By 2008, two years after the Wii's release, Nintendo acknowledged several limitations and challenges with the
system (such as the perception that the system catered primarily to a "casual" audience and was unpopular among
"core" gamers). Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that the lack of support for high definition video output
on the Wii and its limited network infrastructure also contributed to the system being regarded separately from its
competitors' systems, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
An executive for Frontline Studios stated that major publishers were wary of releasing exclusive titles for the Wii,
due to the perception that third-party companies were not strongly supported by consumers. In his blog, 1UP.com
editor Jeremy Parish stated that Nintendo was the biggest disappointment for him in 2007. Commenting on the lack
of quality third-party support, he stated that "the Wii landscape is bleak. Worse than it was on N64. Worse than on
GameCube...the resulting third-party content is overwhelmingly bargain-bin trash." The Globe and Mail and Forbes
noted that the Wii had few successful third-party titles compared to its rivals (due, in part, to its weaker hardware).
Third-party developers often skipped the Wii instead of making games for all three consoles simultaneously
("blockbusters like the Call of Duty franchise either never arrive on Nintendo hardware or show up in neutered
form"). Forbes observed that of the most successful games of 2011 (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect 3,
Portal 2, L.A. Noire, Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3), although all were released for PC, Xbox 360,
and PlayStation 3, only Modern Warfare 3 received a Wii version which was also the least positively received port
of the game. The lack of third-party games may be exacerbated in the future, as Nintendo faces the "dilemma of
having fallen out of sync with its rivals in the console cycle"; Microsoft and Sony would design their consoles to be
more powerful than the Wii U. Strong third-party titles are seen as a key sign of a gaming console's health.
The Globe and Mail, in suggesting why Nintendo posted a record loss of $926million for the initial six months of its
20112012 fiscal year, blamed the Wii's design for being "short-sighted". The Wii initially enjoyed phenomenal
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success because it was inexpensive (due to its being less sophisticated than its competitors) and introduced a
"gaming gimmick". However, this approach meant that the Wii's hardware soon became outdated and could not keep
up long-term (in contrast to more-advanced rivals such as Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which are expected to
continue doing well in 20122013) "as both user desires and surrounding technologies evolved" later in the
generation. Furthermore, price cuts and the introduction of motion-sensor controllers for the Xbox 360 and PS3
nullified advantages once held by the Wii. The Globe suggested that there were other reasons for Nintendo's poor
financial performance, including a strong yen and a tepid reception to the Nintendo 3DS handheld as mobile gaming
becomes popular on smartphones and tablets (such as the iPad).
Sales
Main article: Wii sales
As of 30 June 2014 (http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Wii& action=edit), the Wii has sold
101.15million consoles worldwide.
[7]
Since its launch, monthly sales numbers of the console have generally been higher than its competitors around the
globe. According to the NPD Group, the Wii sold more units in the United States than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation
3 combined in the first half of 2007. This lead is even larger in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total
sales (having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1 to 6:1 nearly every week from its launch to November 2007). In
Australia the Wii broke the record set by the Xbox 360 and became the fastest-selling game console in Australian
history.
On September 12, 2007, the Financial Times reported that the Wii had surpassed the Xbox 360 (released a year
earlier) and had become market leader in home-console sales for the current generation, based on sales figures from
Enterbrain, NPD Group and GfK. This was the first time a Nintendo console led its generation in sales since the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
On July 11, 2007, Nintendo warned that the Wii would remain in short supply throughout that calendar year. In
December, Reggie Fils-Aime revealed that Nintendo was producing approximately 1.8million Wii consoles each
month. Some UK stores still had a shortage of consoles as of March 2007, demand still outpaced supply in the
United States as of June 2007, and the console was "selling out almost as quickly as it hits retail shelves" in Canada
as of April 2008. In October 2008 Nintendo announced that between October and December the Wii would have its
North American supplies increased considerably from 2007 levels, while producing 2.4million Wii units a month
worldwide (compared to 1.6million per month in 2007).
In the United States the Wii sold 10.9million units by July 1, 2008, making it the leader in current-generation home
console sales according to the NPD Group (and surpassing the Xbox360).
In Japan the Wii surpassed the number of Nintendo GameCube units sold by January 2008; it sold 7,526,821 units as
of December 28, 2008, according to Enterbrain. According to the NPD Group the Wii surpassed the Xbox360 to
become the best-selling "next-generation" home video-game console in Canada (with 813,000 units sold by April 1,
2008), and was the best-selling home console for 13 of the previous 17months. According to the NPD Group the
Wii had sold a total of 1,060,000 units in Canada as of August 1, 2008, making it the first current-generation home
console to surpass the million-unit mark in that country. In the United Kingdom the Wii leads in current-generation
home-console sales with 4.9million units sold as of 3 January 2009 (http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index.
php?title=Wii& action=edit), according to GfK Chart-Track. On March 25, 2009 at the Game Developers
Conference, Satoru Iwata said that worldwide shipments of Wii had reached 50million.
While Microsoft and Sony have experienced losses producing their consoles in the hopes of making a long-term
profit on software sales, Nintendo reportedly has optimized production costs to obtain a significant profit margin
with each Wii unit sold. On September 17, 2007 the Financial Times reported that the direct profit per Wii sold may
vary, from $13 in Japan to $49 in the United States and $79 in Europe. On December 2, 2008, Forbes reported that
Nintendo made a $6 operating profit per Wii unit sold.
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On September 23, 2009, Nintendo announced its first price reductions for the console. Nintendo sold more than
threemillion Wii consoles in the U.S. in December 2009 (setting a regional record for the month and ending nine
months of declining sales), due to the price cut and software releases such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. On
January 31, 2010 the Wii became the best-selling home video-game console produced by Nintendo, with sales of
over 67million units (surpassing those of the original Nintendo Entertainment System). Nintendo reported that on
Black Friday 2011 over 500,000 Wii consoles were sold, making it the most successful Black Friday in company
history.
Other models
Family Edition
Wii Family Edition
Release date
NA
October 2011
EU
October 2011
The Wii Family Edition variant is identical to the original model, but is designed to sit horizontally (the vertical feet
are still present; however, the front labels are rotated and a stand is no longer included) and removes the GameCube
controller and memory card ports. For this reason, the Family Edition variant is incompatible with GameCube games
and accessories. The console was announced on August 17, 2011 and released in Europe and North America in
October 2011.
The Wii Family Edition was made available in Europe, bundled with a Wii Remote Plus, Wii Party and Wii Sports.
A blue Wii Family Edition was launched to coincide with Black Friday and the release of Mario & Sonic at the
London 2012 Olympic Games on November 18, 2011 and a black Wii Family Edition (bundled with New Super
Mario Bros. Wii and the official soundtrack CD of Super Mario Galaxy) was released on October 23, 2011. In late
2012 Nintendo released a version of the North America black edition, including Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort
games on a single disc instead of the New Super Mario Bros. Wii game and the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack.
Wii Mini
Wii Mini
Release date
CA
December 7, 2012
EU
March 15, 2013
US
November 17, 2013
The Wii Mini (stylized as Wii mini) is a smaller, redesigned Wii which lacks YP
B
P
R
(component
video/D-Terminal), S-Video, RGB SCART output, Nintendo GameCube compatibility, online connectivity, the SD
card slot and Wi-Fi support, and has only one USB port unlike the previous models' two. The initial release omitted a
pack-in game, but Mario Kart Wii was included at no extra charge beginning on September 18, 2013 in Canada and
from launch in the United States. It was released in Canada on December 7, 2012 with a MSRP of C$99.99, in
Wii
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Europe on March 15, 2013, in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2013, and in the United States on November 17,
2013. Nintendo uses this console and the Nintendo Selects game series to promote low cost gaming. The Wii Mini is
styled in matte black with a red border, and includes a red Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk. A composite video/audio
cable, wired sensor bar and power adapter are also included.
Successor
Main article: Wii U
Nintendo announced the successor to the Wii, Wii U, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011. The Wii U features
a controller with an embedded touch screen and output 1080p high-definition graphics; it is fully
backward-compatible with Wii games and peripherals for the Wii. The Wii remote, Nunchuk controller and balance
board are compatible with Wii U games which include support for them. The Wii U was released on November 18,
2012 in North America, November 30, 2012 in Europe and Australia, and December 8, 2012 in Japan.
References
[1] joystiq.com "Nintendo Wii Marketing To Exceed 200 million" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 11/ 12/
nintendo-wii-marketing-to-exceed-200-million/ ) (November 12, 2006)
[2] [2] Wii operations manual: system setup, page 28.
[3] Winners of 59th Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards (http:/ / www. emmyonline. org/ mediacenter/ tech_2k7_winners. html). January
8, 2008. Retrieved on January 14, 2008
[4] [4] frd.co.uk. Retrieved March 8, 2007.
[5] Casamassina, Matt (January 24, 2007). N-Query (http:/ / wii. ign. com/ mail/ 2007-01-24. html). IGN. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
[6] Research Shows Rehabilitation Benefits of Using Nintendo Wii (http:/ / newswise. com/ articles/ view/ 544616/ ) Newswise. Retrieved
September 28, 2008.
[7] http:/ / www. nintendo.co. jp/ ir/ en/ sales/ hard_soft/ index. html
External links
Media related to Wii at Wikimedia Commons
Global and general Wii site (http:/ / www. wii. com/ )
Wii (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Nintendo/ Nintendo_Wii) at DMOZ
Xbox 360
587
Xbox 360
Xbox 360
Left: Xbox 360 Elite, Right: Xbox 360 S and new-style controller
Developer Microsoft
Manufacturer Flextronics, Wistron, Celestica, Foxconn
Product family Xbox
Retail availability
Units sold
Worldwide: 83.7 million (as of March 31, 2014[1])
Media DVD, Compact Disc, Download
Add-on: HD DVD (discontinued)
CPU 3.2GHz PowerPC Tri-Core Xenon
Memory 512MB of GDDR3 RAM clocked at 700MHz
Storage
Display
Graphics 500MHz ATI Xenos
Sound Analog stereo
Stereo LPCM (TOSLINK and HDMI)
Dolby Digital 5.1 (TOSLINK and HDMI)
Dolby Digital with WMA pro (TOSLINK and HDMI)
Controller input
Connectivity Original models
2.4GHz wireless, 3 USB 2.0, IR receiver, 100Mbit/s Ethernet
Add-on: Wifi 802.11 a/b/g, Wifi 802.11a/b/g/n
Revised "S" models
2.4GHz wireless, 5 USB 2.0, Digital Optical audio out, IR receiver, 100Mbit/s Ethernet, Wifi 802.11b/g/n, AUX
port
Revised "E" models 2.4GHz wireless, 4 USB 2.0, IR receiver, 100Mbit/s Ethernet, Wifi 802.11b/g/n, AUX port
Online services Xbox Live
Best-selling game Kinect Adventures (18 million as pack-in game for Kinect)
Backward
compatibility
478 original Xbox games (requires hard drive and the latest update)
Xbox 360
588
Predecessor Xbox
Successor Xbox One
Website
www.xbox.com/Xbox360/
[2]
The Xbox 360 is a video game console developed by Microsoft, and is the successor to the original Xbox, and it is
the second console in the Xbox series. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part
of the seventh generation of video game consoles. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005,
with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).
The Xbox 360 features an online service, Xbox Live, which was expanded from its previous iteration on the original
Xbox and received regular updates during the console's lifetime. Available in free and subscription-based varieties,
Xbox Live allows users to: play games online; download games (through Xbox Live Arcade) and game demos;
purchase and stream music, television programs, and films through the Xbox Music and Xbox Video portals; and
access third-party content services through media streaming applications. In addition to online multimedia features,
the Xbox 360 allows users to stream media from local PCs. Several peripherals have been released, including
wireless controllers, expanded hard drive storage, and the Kinect motion sensing camera. The release of these
additional services and peripherals helped the Xbox brand grow from gaming-only to encompassing all multimedia,
turning it into a hub for living-room computing entertainment.
Launched worldwide across 20052006, the Xbox 360 was initially in short supply in many regions, including North
America and Europe. The earliest versions of the console suffered from a high failure rate, indicated by the so-called
"Red Ring of Death", necessitating an extension of the device's warranty period. Microsoft released two redesigned
models of the console: the Xbox 360 S in 2010, and the Xbox 360 E in 2013. As of June 2014, 84 million Xbox 360
consoles have been sold worldwide, making it the sixth-highest-selling video game console in history.
Approximately 4 million more sales than Sonys Playstation 3 console. Although not the best-selling console of its
generation, the Xbox 360 was deemed by TechRadar to be the most influential through its emphasis on digital media
distribution and multiplayer gaming on Xbox Live. The Xbox 360's successor, the Xbox One, was released on
November 22, 2013. Microsoft has stated they plan to support the Xbox 360 until at least 2016.
[3]
History
Development
Known during development as Xbox Next, Xenon, Xbox 2, Xbox FS or NextBox, the Xbox 360 was conceived in
early 2003. In February 2003, planning for the Xenon software platform began, and was headed by Microsoft's Vice
President J Allard. That month, Microsoft held an event for 400 developers in Bellevue, Washington to recruit
support for the system. Also that month, Peter Moore, former president of Sega of America, joined Microsoft. On
August 12, 2003, ATI signed on to produce the graphic processing unit for the new console, a deal which was
publicly announced two days later. Before the launch of the Xbox 360, several Alpha development kits were spotted
using Apple's Power Mac G5 hardware. This was because the system's PowerPC 970 processor running the same
PowerPC architecture that the Xbox 360 would eventually run under IBM's Xenon processor. The cores of the
Xenon processor were developed using a slightly modified version of the PlayStation 3's Cell Processor PPE
architecture. According to David Shippy and Mickie Phipps, the IBM employees were "hiding" their work from
Sony and Toshiba, IBM's partners in developing the Cell Processor. Jeff Minter created the music visualization
program Neon which is included with the Xbox 360.
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Launch
Main article: Xbox 360 launch
The Xbox 360 was released on November 22, 2005, in the United States and Canada; December 2, 2005, in Europe
and December 10, 2005, in Japan. It was later launched in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Singapore,
South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Russia. In its first year on the market, the
system launched in 36 countries, more countries than any other console has launched in a single year.
Critical reception
In 2009, IGN named the Xbox 360 the sixth-greatest video game console of all time, out of a field of 25. Although
not the best-selling console of the seventh-generation, the Xbox 360 was deemed by TechRadar to be the most
influential, by emphasizing digital media distribution and online gaming through Xbox Live, and by popularizing
game achievement awards. PC Magazine considered the Xbox 360 the prototype for online gaming as it "proved that
online gaming communities could thrive in the console space". Five years after the Xbox 360's original debut, the
well-received Kinect motion capture camera was released, which set the record of being the fastest selling consumer
electronic device in history, and extended the life of console. Edge ranked Xbox 360 the second-best console of the
1993-2013 period, stating "It had its own social network, cross-game chat, new indie games every week, and the best
version of just about every multiformat game...Killzone is no Halo and nowadays Gran Turismo is no Forza, but it's
not about the exclusives--there's nothing to trump Naughty Dog's PS3 output, after all. Rather, it's about the choices
Microsoft made back in the original Xbox's lifetime. The PC-like architecture meant those early EA Sports titles ran
at 60fps compared to only 30 on PS3, Xbox Live meant every dedicated player had an existing friends list, and Halo
meant Microsoft had the killer next-generation exclusive. And when developers demo games on PC now they do it
with a 360 pad--another industry benchmark, and a critical one."
Sales
Region Units sold First available
United States
25.4 million as of March 31, 2011[1]
November 22, 2005
EMEA region
(Europe, Middle East and Africa)
13.7 million as of March 31, 2011[1]
(Includes UK sales)
December 2, 2005
United Kingdom
8 million as of February 14, 2013[1]
Japan
1.5 million as of June 17, 2011[1]
December 10, 2005
Australia & New Zealand
1 million as of April 19, 2010[1]
March 23, 2006
Worldwide
80 million as of October 17, 2013[1]
(more...)
Main article: Xbox 360 sales
The Xbox 360 began production only 69 days before launch, and Microsoft was not able to supply enough systems
to meet initial consumer demand in Europe or North America, selling out completely upon release in all regions
except in Japan. Forty thousand units were offered for sale on auction site eBay during the initial week of release,
10% of the total supply. By year's end, Microsoft had shipped 1.5 million units, including 900,000 in North America,
500,000 in Europe, and 100,000 in Japan.
In May 2008 Microsoft announced that 10 million Xbox 360s had been sold and that it was the "first current
generation gaming console" to surpass the 10 million figure in the US. In the US, the Xbox 360 was the leader in
current-generation home console sales until June 2008, when it was surpassed by the Wii. The Xbox 360 has sold a
total of 870,000 units in Canada as of August 1, 2008. Between January 2011 and October 2013, the Xbox 360 was
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the best-selling console in the United States for these 32 consecutive months.
In Europe, the Xbox 360 has sold seven million units as of November 20, 2008, according to Microsoft. In the
United Kingdom, the Xbox 360 has sold 3.9 million units as of June 27, 2009, according to GfK Chart-Track.
While the original Xbox sold poorly in Japan, selling just 2 million units while it was on the market (between 2002
and 2005), the Xbox 360 performed even poorer, selling only 1.5 million units from 2005 to 2011. Edge magazine
reported in August 2011 that initially lacklustre and subsequently falling sales in Japan, where Microsoft had been
unable to make serious inroads into the dominance of domestic rivals Sony and Nintendo, had led to retailers scaling
down and in some cases discontinuing sales of the Xbox 360 completely.
Legacy
The Xbox 360 sold much better than its predecessor, and although not the best-selling console of the
seventh-generation, it is regarded as a success since it strengthened Microsoft as a major force in the console market
at the expense of well-established rivals. The inexpensive Nintendo Wii did sell the most console units but
eventually saw a collapse of third-party software support in its later years, and it has been viewed by some as a fad
since the succeeding Wii U had a poor debut in 2012. The PlayStation 3 struggled for a time due to being too
expensive and initially lacking quality titles, making it far less dominant than its predecessor, the PlayStation 2, and
it took until late in the PlayStation 3's lifespan for its sales and game titles to reach parity with the Xbox 360.
TechRadar proclaimed that "Xbox 360 passes the baton as the king of the hill - a position that puts all the more
pressure on its successor, Xbox One".
The Xbox 360's advantage over its competitors was due to the release of high profile titles from both first party and
third party developers. The 2007 Game Critics Awards honored the platform with 38 nominations and 12 wins
more than any other platform. By March 2008, the Xbox 360 had reached a software attach rate of 7.5 games per
console in the US; the rate was 7.0 in Europe, while its competitors were 3.8 (PS3) and 3.5 (Wii), according to
Microsoft. At the 2008 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft announced that it expected over 1,000 games
available for Xbox 360 by the end of the year. As well as enjoying exclusives such as additions to the Halo franchise
and Gears of War, the Xbox 360 has managed to gain a simultaneous release of titles that were initially planned to
be PS3 exclusives, including Devil May Cry, Ace Combat, Virtua Fighter, Grand Theft Auto IV, Final Fantasy XIII,
Tekken 6, Metal Gear Solid : Rising, and L.A. Noire. In addition, Xbox 360 versions of cross-platform games were
generally considered superior to their PS3 counterparts in 2006 and 2007, due in part to the difficulties of
programming for the PS3.
TechRadar deemed the Xbox 360 as the most influential game system through its emphasis of digital media
distribution, Xbox Live online gaming service, and game achievement feature. During the console's lifetime, the
Xbox brand has grown from gaming-only to encompassing all multimedia, turning it into a hub for "living-room
computing environment". Five years after the Xbox 360's original debut, the well-received Kinect motion capture
camera was released, which became the fastest selling consumer electronic device in history, and extended the life of
the console.
Microsoft announced the Xbox One, successor to the Xbox 360, at E3 on June 10, 2013. Although succeeded as
Microsoft's main console by the Xbox One, support from publishers for the Xbox 360 is expected to continue until at
least 2017.
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Hardware
The Xbox 360 E model, announced at 2013's E3,
shares many aesthetics with the Xbox One.
The main unit of the Xbox 360 itself has slight double concavity in
matte white or black. The official color of the white model is Arctic
Chill. It features a port on the top when vertical (left side when
horizontal) to which a custom-housed hard disk drive unit can be
attached.
Main article: Xbox 360 technical specifications
Various hard disk drives have been produced, including options at 20,
60, 120, 250, or 320GB. Inside, the Xbox 360 uses the triple-core IBM
designed Xenon as its CPU, with each core capable of simultaneously
processing two threads, and can therefore operate on up to six threads
at once. Graphics processing is handled by the ATI Xenos, which has
10MB of eDRAM. Its main memory pool is 512MB in size.
Accessories
Main article: Xbox 360 accessories
Many accessories are available for the console, including both wired and wireless controllers, faceplates for
customization, headsets for chatting, a webcam for video chatting, dance mats and Gamercize for exercise, three
sizes of memory units and five sizes of hard drives (20, 60, 120, 250 (initially Japan only, but later also available
elsewhere) and 320GB), among other items, all of which are styled to match the console.
Kinect
A Kinect sensor device
Kinect is a "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience" for
the Xbox 360. It was first announced on June 1, 2009 at the Electronic
Entertainment Expo, under the codename, Project Natal. The add-on
peripheral enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360
without a game controller by using gestures, spoken commands and
presented objects and images. The Kinect accessory is compatible with
all Xbox 360 models, connecting to new models via a custom connector, and to older ones via a USB and mains
power adapter. During their CES 2010 keynote speech, Robbie Bach and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer went on to
say that Kinect will be released during the holiday period (NovemberJanuary) and it will work with every 360
console. Its name and release date of November 4, 2010 were officially announced on June 13, 2010, prior to
Microsoft's press conference at E3 2010.
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Retail configurations
Xbox 360 Arcade, Pro and Elite
Main article: List of Xbox 360 retail configurations
At launch, the Xbox 360 was available in two configurations: the
"Xbox 360" package (unofficially known as the 20GB Pro or
Premium), priced at US$399 or GB279.99, and the "Xbox 360
Core", priced at US$299 and GB209.99. The original shipment of
the Xbox 360 version included a cut-down version of the Media
Remote as a promotion. The Elite package was launched later at
US$479. The "Xbox 360 Core" was replaced by the "Xbox 360
Arcade" in October 2007 and a 60GB version of the Xbox 360
Pro was released on August 1, 2008. The Pro package was
discontinued and marked down to US$249 on August 28, 2009 to
be sold until stock ran out, while the Elite was also marked down
in price to US$299.
360S
In June 2010, Microsoft announced a new, redesigned, model and the discontinuation of the Elite and Arcade
models.
360E
At Microsoft's E3 press conference on June 10, 2013, another revision of the Xbox 360 hardware with design traits
from its successor, the Xbox One, was unveiled and released. SKUs and pricing for the new model are identical to
those of the previous model.
United States
November 22, 2005
Launch of Xbox 360 Premium
(20GB) $399.99
Launch of Xbox 360 Core
$299.99
April 29, 2007
Launch Xbox 360 Elite
(120GB) $479.99
August 6, 2007
Price cut on Xbox 360 Premium
(20GB) $349.99
Price cut on Xbox 360 Core
$279.99
Price cut on Xbox 360 Elite
$449.99
October 27, 2007
Launch of Xbox 360 Arcade
$279.99
Discontinuation of Xbox 360
Core
July 13, 2008
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 (20GB) (price cut
to $299.99 for remaining stock)
August 1, 2008
Launch of Xbox 360 Premium (60GB)
$349.99
September 5, 2008
Price cut on Xbox 360 Elite $399.99
Price cut on Xbox 360 (60GB) $299.99
Price cut on Xbox 360 Arcade $199.99
August 28, 2009
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 (60GB) (price cut
Price cut on Xbox 360 Elite $299.99
June 19, 2010
Launch of Xbox 360 S 250GB $299.99
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 Elite (price cut to
$249.99 for remaining stock)
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 Arcade (price cut
August 3, 2010
Launch of Xbox 360 S 4GB $199.99
June 10, 2013
Launch of Xbox 360 E 4GB $199.99
Launch of Xbox 360 E 250GB $299.99
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Technical problems
Main article: Xbox 360 technical problems
Three red lights on the Xbox 360's ring indicator
representing a "General Error requiring service of
the Console or Power Adapter," commonly
nicknamed the "Red Ring of Death."
The Xbox 360 has been subject to a number of technical problems.
Since the console's release in 2005, users have reported concerns over
its reliability and failure rate.
To aid customers with defective consoles, Microsoft extended the
Xbox 360's manufacturer's warranty to three years for hardware failure
problems that generate a "General Hardware Failure" error report. A
"General Hardware Failure" is recognized on all models released
before the Xbox 360 S by three quadrants of the ring around the power
button flashing red. This error is often known as the "Red Ring of
Death". In April 2009 the warranty was extended to also cover failures
related to the E74 error code. The warranty extension is not granted for
any other types of failures that do not generate these specific error
codes.
Since these problems surfaced, Microsoft has attempted to modify the console to improve its reliability.
Modifications include a reduction in the number, size, and placement of components, the addition of dabs of epoxy
on the corners and edges of the CPU and GPU as glue to prevent movement relative to the board during heat
expansion, and a second GPU heatsink to dissipate more heat. With the release of the redesigned Xbox 360 S, the
warranty for the newer models does not include the three-year extended coverage for "General Hardware Failures".
The newer Xbox 360 S model indicates system overheating when the console's power button begins to flash red,
unlike previous models where the first and third quadrant of the ring would light up red around the power button if
overheating occurred. The system will then warn the user of imminent system shutdown until the system has cooled,
whereas a flashing power button that alternates between green and red is an indication of a "General Hardware
Failure" unlike older models where three of the quadrants would light up red.
Software
Games
Main article: List of Xbox 360 games
See also: List of Xbox games compatible with Xbox 360 and List of Xbox Originals
Rock of Ages, one of many Unreal Engine 3 powered games
available on Xbox 360.
The Xbox 360 launched with 14 games in North America and
13 in Europe. The console's best-selling game for 2005, Call of
Duty 2, sold over a million copies. Five other games sold over
a million copies in the console's first year on the market: Ghost
Recon Advanced Warfighter, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,
Dead or Alive 4, Saints Row, and Gears of War. Gears of War
would become the best-selling game on the console with 3
million copies in 2006, before being surpassed in 2007 by Halo
3 with over 8 million copies.
Six games were initially available in Japan, while eagerly
anticipated titles such as Dead or Alive 4 and Enchanted Arms were released in the weeks following the console's
launch. Games targeted specifically for the region, such as Chromehounds, Ninety-Nine Nights, and Phantasy Star
Universe, were also released in the console's first year. Microsoft also had the support of Japanese developer
Mistwalker, founded by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Mistwalker's first game, Blue Dragon, was
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released in 2006 and had a limited-edition bundle which sold out quickly with over 10,000 pre-orders. Blue Dragon
is one of three Xbox 360 games to surpass 200,000 units in Japan, along with Tales of Vesperia and Star Ocean: The
Last Hope. Mistwalker's second game, Lost Odyssey also sold over 100,000 copies.
The 2007 Game Critics Awards honored the Xbox 360 platform with 38 Nominations and 11 Wins. By March 2008,
the Xbox 360 had reached a software attach rate of 7.5 games per consolea record for any console in
history.Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
Interface
See also: Xbox 360 system software
The Xbox 360's original graphical user interface was the Xbox 360 Dashboard; a tabbed interface that featured five
"Blades" (formerly four blades), and was designed by AKQA and Audiobrain. It could be launched automatically
when the console booted without a disc in it, or when the disc tray was ejected, but the user had the option to select
what the console does if a game is in the tray on start up, or if inserted when already on. A simplified version of it
was also accessible at any time via the Xbox Guide button on the gamepad. This simplified version showed the user's
gamercard, Xbox Live messages and friends list. It also allowed for personal and music settings, in addition to voice
or video chats, or returning to the Xbox Dashboard from the game.
On November 19, 2008, the Xbox 360's dashboard was changed from the "Blade" interface, to a dashboard
reminiscent of that present on the Zune and Windows Media Center, known as the "New Xbox Experience" or NXE.
Since the console's release, Microsoft has released several updates for the Dashboard software. These updates have
included adding new features to the console, enhancing Xbox Live functionality and multimedia playback
capabilities, adding compatibility for new accessories, and fixing bugs in the software. Such updates are mandatory
for users wishing to use Xbox Live, as access to Xbox Live is disabled until the update is performed.
New Xbox Experience
Further information: Xbox Live, section "New Xbox Experience"
At E3 2008, at Microsoft's Show, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg and Marc Whitten announced the new Xbox 360
interface called the "New Xbox Experience" (NXE). The update was intended to ease console menu navigation. Its
GUI uses the Twist UI, previously used in Windows Media Center and the Zune. Its new Xbox Guide retains all
Dashboard functionality (including the Marketplace browser and disk ejection) and the original "Blade" interface.
The NXE also provides many new features. Users can now install games from disc to the hard drive to play them
with reduced load time and less disc drive noise, but each game's disc must remain in the system in order to run. A
new, built-in Community system allows the creation of digitized Avatars that can be used for multiple activities,
such as sharing photos or playing Arcade games like 1 vs. 100. The update was released on November 19, 2008.
While previous system updates have been stored on internal memory, the NXE was the first to require a storage
deviceat least a 128 MB memory card or a hard drive.
Microsoft released a further update to the Xbox 360 Dashboard starting on December 6, 2011. It included a
completely new user interface which utilizes Microsoft's Metro design language, and added new features such as
cloud storage for game saves and profiles, live television, Bing voice search, access to YouTube videos and better
support for Kinect voice commands.
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Multimedia
The Xbox 360 supports videos in Windows Media Video (WMV) format (including high-definition and
PlaysForSure videos), as well as H.264 and MPEG-4 media. The December 2007 dashboard update added support
for the playback of MPEG-4 ASP format videos. The console can also display pictures and perform slideshows of
photo collections with various transition effects, and supports audio playback, with music player controls accessible
through the Xbox 360 Guide button. Users may play back their own music while playing games or using the
dashboard, and can play music with an interactive visual synthesizer.
Music, photos and videos can be played from standard USB mass storage devices, Xbox 360 proprietary storage
devices (such as memory cards or Xbox 360 hard drives), and servers or computers with Windows Media Center or
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher within the local-area network in streaming mode. As the Xbox 360 uses
a modified version of the UPnP AV protocol, some alternative UPnP servers such as uShare (part of the GeeXboX
project) and MythTV can also stream media to the Xbox 360, allowing for similar functionality from non-Windows
servers. This is possible with video files up to HD-resolution and with several codecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV)
and container formats (WMV, MOV, TS).
As of October 27, 2009, UK and Ireland users are also able to access live and on-demand streams of Sky television
programming.
At the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Consumer Electronics Shows, Microsoft had announced that IPTV services would soon
be made available to use through the Xbox 360. In 2007, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates stated that IPTV on Xbox
360 was expected to be available to consumers by the holiday season, using the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition
platform. In 2008, Gates and president of Entertainment & Devices Robbie Bach announced a partnership with BT in
the United Kingdom, in which the BT Vision advanced TV service, using the newer Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV
platform, would be accessible via Xbox 360, planned for the middle of the year. BT Vision's DVR-based features
would not be available on Xbox 360 due to limited hard drive capacity. In 2010, while announcing version 2.0 of
Microsoft Mediaroom, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer mentioned that AT&T's U-verse IPTV service would enable
Xbox 360s to be used as set-top boxes later in the year. As of January 2010, IPTV on Xbox 360 has yet to be
deployed beyond limited trials.
In 2012, Microsoft released the Live Event Player, allowing for events such as video game shows, beauty pageants,
award shows, concerts, news and sporting events to be streamed on the console via Xbox Live. The first live events
streamed on Live were the 2012 Revolver Golden Gods, Microsoft's E3 2012 media briefing and the Miss Teen USA
2012 beauty pageant.
XNA community
Main article: Microsoft XNA
XNA Community is a feature whereby Xbox 360 owners can receive community-created games, made with
Microsoft XNA Game Studio, from the XNA Creators Club. The games are written, published, and distributed
through a community managed portal. XNA Community provides a channel for digital videogame delivery over
Xbox Live that can be free of royalties, publishers and licenses. XNA game sales, however, did not meet original
expectations. though Xbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG) has had some "hits."
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Services
Xbox Live
Main article: Xbox Live
When the Xbox 360 was released, Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live was shut down for 24 hours and
underwent a major upgrade, adding a basic non-subscription service called Xbox Live Silver (later renamed Xbox
Live Free) to its already established premium subscription-based service (which was renamed Gold). Xbox Live Free
is included with all SKUs of the console. It allows users to create a user profile, join on message boards, and access
Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace and talk to other members. A Live Free account does not generally
support multiplayer gaming; however, some games that have rather limited online functions already, (such as Viva
Piata) or games that feature their own subscription service (e.g. EA Sports games) can be played with a Free
account. Xbox Live also supports voice the latter a feature possible with the Xbox Live Vision.
Xbox Live Gold includes the same features as Free and includes integrated online game playing capabilities outside
of third-party subscriptions. Microsoft has allowed previous Xbox Live subscribers to maintain their profile
information, friends list, and games history when they make the transition to Xbox Live Gold. To transfer an Xbox
Live account to the new system, users need to link a Windows Live ID to their gamertag on Xbox.com. When users
add an Xbox Live enabled profile to their console, they are required to provide the console with their passport
account information and the last four digits of their credit card number, which is used for verification purposes and
billing. An Xbox Live Gold account has an annual cost of US$59.99, C$59.99, NZ$90.00, GB39.99, or 59.99. As
of January 5, 2011, Xbox Live has over 30 million subscribers.
Main article: Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for the console that allows Xbox Live users to download
purchased or promotional content. The service offers movie and game trailers, game demos, Xbox Live Arcade
games and Xbox 360 Dashboard themes as well as add-on game content (items, costumes, levels etc.). These
features are available to both Free and Gold members on Xbox Live. A hard drive or memory unit is required to
store products purchased from Xbox Live Marketplace. In order to download priced content, users are required to
purchase Microsoft Points for use as scrip; though some products (such as trailers and demos) are free to download.
Microsoft Points can be obtained through prepaid cards in 1,600 and 4,000-point denominations. Microsoft Points
can also be purchased through Xbox Live with a credit card in 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000-point denominations.
Users are able to view items available to download on the service through a PC via the Xbox Live Marketplace
website. An estimated seventy percent of Xbox Live users have downloaded items from the Marketplace.
Xbox Live Arcade
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Toy Soldiers: Cold War was released as part of the 2011
Summer of Arcade promotion
Main article: Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is an online service operated by Microsoft
that is used to distribute downloadable video games to Xbox
and Xbox 360 owners. In addition to classic arcade games such
as Ms. Pac-Man, the service offers some new original games
like Assault Heroes. The Xbox Live Arcade also features
games from other consoles, such as the PlayStation game
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and PC games such as
Zuma. The service was first launched on November 3, 2004,
using a DVD to load, and offered games for about US$5 to
$15. Items are purchased using Microsoft Points, a proprietary
currency used to reduce credit card transaction charges. On November 22, 2005, Xbox Live Arcade was re-launched
with the release of the Xbox 360, in which it was now integrated with the Xbox 360's dashboard. The games are
generally aimed toward more casual gamers; examples of the more popular titles are Geometry Wars, Street Fighter
II' Hyper Fighting, and Uno. On March 24, 2010, Microsoft introduced the Game Room to Xbox Live. Game Room
is a gaming service for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows that lets players compete in classic arcade and console
games in a virtual arcade.
Xbox Video
Main article: Xbox Video
On November 6, 2006, Microsoft announced the Xbox Video Marketplace, an exclusive video store accessible
through the console. Launched in the United States on November 22, 2006, the first anniversary of the Xbox 360's
launch, the service allows users in the United States to download high-definition and standard-definition television
shows and movies onto an Xbox 360 console for viewing. With the exception of short clips, content is not currently
available for streaming, and must be downloaded. Movies are also available for rental. They expire in 14 days after
download or at the end of the first 24 hours after the movie has begun playing, whichever comes first. Television
episodes can be purchased to own, and are transferable to an unlimited number of consoles. Downloaded files use
5.1 surround audio and are encoded using VC-1 for video at 720p, with a bitrate of 6.8Mbit/s. Television content is
offered from MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Turner Broadcasting, and CBS; and movie content is Warner Bros.,
Paramount, and Disney, along with other publishers.
After the Spring 2007 update, the following video codecs are supported:
H.264 video support: Up to 15Mbit/s, Baseline, Main, and High (up to level 4.1) Profiles with 2 channel AAC
LC and Main Profiles.
MPEG-4 Part 2 video support: Up to 8Mbit/s, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
As a late addition to the December Xbox 360 update, 25 movies were added to the European Xbox 360 video market
place on the December 11, 2007 and cost 250 Microsoft points for the SD version on the movie and 380 points for
the HD version of the movie. Xbox Live members in Canada featured the ability to go on the Xbox Live
Marketplace as of December 10, 2007 with around 30 movies to be downloaded for the same amount of Microsoft
Points.
On May 26, 2009, Microsoft announced the future release of the Zune HD (in the fall of 2009), the next addition to
the Zune product range. This is of an impact on the Xbox Live Video Store as it was also announced that the Zune
Video Marketplace and the Xbox Live Video Store will be merged to form the Zune Marketplace, which will be
arriving on Xbox Live in 7 countries initially, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, Germany,
Ireland and Spain. Further details were released at the Microsoft press conference at E3 2009.
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On October 16, 2012, Xbox Video and Xbox Music were released, replacing the Zune Marketplace. Xbox Video is a
digital video service on that offers full HD movies and TV series for purchase or rental on Xbox 360, Windows 8,
Windows RT PCs and tablets, and Windows Phones.
Xbox Music
Main article: Xbox Music
Xbox Music provides 30 million music tracks available for purchase or access through subscription. It was
announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 and will integrate with Windows 8 and Windows Phone as
well.
Xbox SmartGlass
Main article: Xbox SmartGlass
Xbox SmartGlass is a new feature that allows for integration between the Xbox 360 console and mobile devices such
as tablets and smartphones. An app is available on Android, Windows Phone 8 and iOS. Users of the feature can
view additional content to accompany the game they are playing, or the TV shows and movies they are watching.
They can also use their mobile device as a remote to control the Xbox 360 console.
References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Xbox_360& action=edit
[2] http:/ / www. xbox. com/ Xbox360/
[3] http:/ / m.cnet.com/ news/ microsoft-to-support-xbox-360-until-2016/ 57601337
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Xbox 360.
Official website (http:/ / www. xbox. com)
Microsoft Support for Xbox 360 (http:/ / support. xbox. com/ xbox-360/ )
Xbox development team blog (http:/ / blogs. msdn. com/ xboxteam/ default. aspx)
Xbox 360 (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Console_Platforms/ Microsoft/ Xbox_360) at DMOZ
Zeebo
599
Zeebo
This article is about the game console. For the company that manufactures it, see Zeebo Inc.. For the fictional
character, see List of To Kill a Mockingbird characters. For the iCarly character, see iCarly (season 1).
Zeebo System

A Zeebo console wrapped in plastic and its power connector
Manufacturer Zeebo Inc.
Product family Zeebo
Type Video game console, Microconsole
Generation
Seventh generation era
[1][2]
Retail availability June 25, 2009 (Brazil)
November 10, 2009 (Mexico)
2010 (Russia & India)
2011 (China)
Discontinued September 30, 2011
Media Digital distribution
CPU ARM11 clocked at 528Mhz
Storage 1 GB NAND flash
Graphics ATI Imageon
Controller input 6-button dual analog gamepad
Connectivity 1 SD card slot
3 USB 2.0 ports
3G HSUPA
2.5G EDGE
2G GPRS
Online services ZeeboNet on Claro 3G (Brazil)
Telcel (Mexico)
Zeebo is a 3G-enabled entertainment and education system from Zeebo Inc. It enables users to play video games,
and also connect to the Internet, communicate online and run educational applications. The Zeebo is targeted at
developing markets such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico. Zeebo Inc. says that the Zeebo brings "the fun
and excitement of interactive entertainment and education to those whountil nowhave had little or no access to
such technology."
Zeebo
600
Overview
The company's stated intention was to create an affordable console with inexpensive games and educational content
delivered via wireless digital distribution to circumvent piracy. There are no DVDs and cartridges; games and other
content are downloaded wirelessly over broadband cellular networks. In addition to games, the Zeebo system also
provides Internet connectivity, enabling users to access educational and information content, communicate via e-mail
and do social networking (this capability is currently supported in Brazil and Mexico).
Zeebo has attracted a growing list of content from companies such as Activision, Capcom, Digital Chocolate, Disney
Interactive Studios, Electronic Arts, Fishlabs, Flying Tiger, Gamevil, G-Mode, Glu, id Software, Limbic Software,
Namco, Polarbit, Popcap, Twelve Interactive and Vega Mobile.
History
The Zeebo was first announced in November 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and went on sale there in limited
quantities on June 1, 2009 with a suggested retail price of 499,00 Brazilian reais. In September of the same year, the
price was cut to R$399,00, and the price was reduced again in November to R$299,00 (~170USD). The console was
distributed nationwide in Brazil in December 2009. By August, 2010, there were approximately 40 games launched
for Zeebo in Brazil. On September 1, 2010, Zeebo announced that it was adding new capabilities and accessories to
the Zeebo in Brazil, including Internet connectivity, a keyboard and new more ergonomic gamepad. The new
Brazilian system configuration is priced identical to the previous one: R$299 (~170USD). The company announced
that Brazilian owners of previous system configurations can upgrade to the new one for free.
The Zeebo was launched in Mexico in November 2009. It shipped to national retailers across the country on
November 4, 2009, with a suggested price of 2,499 Mexican pesos (approximately $205 US). The Mexican system
configuration is similar to that introduced in September, 2010 and includes Internet connectivity, a keyboard and
ergonomic gamepad. The price was cut to 2249 pesos (approx. $184 US) in April 2010.
The Zeebo is available in Brazil, Mexico, and India. Reports indicated that the Zeebo was planned to become
available in China by 2011.
Zeebo Inc. announced an agreement with AT&T in March, 2010. The company stated that "The agreement gives us
access to AT&T's international roaming network, allowing us to carry out rapid trials of the Zeebo platform in new
geographic areas as we establish longer-term agreements with local carriers for deployment of the system. It will
also give us a chance to explore opportunities in the US market in the future." However it appears that Tectoy has
decided against the Zeebo and on its homepage now states that they are gearing towards a more educational market.
On May 27, 2011 Zeebo announced its end of operations in Brazil and Mexico. According to the company, all games
would undergo a price reduction and Zeebonet 3G would remain active until September 30, and all warranty services
would be honored. On the same day, on ZeeboNet 3G, a message was added to the details of the game "Turma da
Mnica em Vamos Brincar" (Monica's Gang in Let's Play) stating that the game would be unavailable for purchase
by the end of the day.
As of March 2014, Zeebo's home page still stated that the company was "currently working on a next generation
Android-based platform for launch in 2012."
Wireless capabilities
The Zeebo system was developed by Zeebo Inc. with the participation of 12 companies, mainly Qualcomm and
Tectoy. It is manufactured and distributed by local partners in target countries (e.g., Tectoy in Brazil). The console
uses a Qualcomm BREW mobile gaming chipset similar to that in mobile phones. Players are able to buy and
download games and other content wirelessly through 3G or EDGE. The user is always connected to the wireless
network without any subscription fee. Purchases are made through an online store using a virtual currency,
Z-Credits. Zeebo's gaming delivery system reduces costs (with no discs or cartridges needed) and overcomes piracy
Zeebo
601
barriers two elements that have hindered sales of game consoles in developing markets. Z-Credits are purchased by
bank transfer, credit card, bank debit or prepaid cards. Games cost from about 500 to 2500 credits.
The console's wireless connectivity also allows users to browse web sites, send and receive e-mail and take part
social networking activities via the wireless network. The Zeebo can also perform "over-the-air" (OTA) updates to
the console's firmwaredelivering new content, features and bug fixes.
Accessories
Z-Pad
The standard Zeebo "Z-Pad" controller includes a total of 7 buttons, a D-Pad and two analog sticks. On the right
side, there are four buttons (numbered 14); two shoulder buttons rest on the top, called ZL and ZR; at the center,
there's a "Home" button, which takes the user back the start screen of the Zeebo interface, while functioning as a
typical "Pause" button during games. Directly below this button are the two analog sticks, whereas the D-Pad is
located at the leftmost side.
Boomerang
Official Boomerang controller for Zeebo.
The Boomerang, sold by Tectoy in Brazil, is a wireless controller with a
built-in accelerometer, using motion-sensing technology to play games with
actual physical gestures. It has a D-Pad, two buttons (labeled 12) on the
top-left side, a "Home" button, a sliding on-off switch and a wrist strap. It
requires two AA batteries as a power supply.
Keyboard
The Zeebo also includes an external keyboard, used with the system's
web-browsing, email and social networking functions.
Games
See also: List of Zeebo games
The Zeebo features remade versions of games from mobile phones and other consoles, such as FIFA 09, Resident
Evil 4, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, Galaxy on Fire and Rally Master Pro. There are also a number of original
game titles developed specifically for the Zeebo, including Zeebo Extreme racing games, "Boomerang Sports"
games, Zeebo "Football Club" games and Un Juego de Huevos (known as Um Jogo de Ovos in Brazil), an
action-adventure game based on the hit Mexican animated film "Una Pelcula de Huevos" from Huevocartoon. In
March 2010, Zeebo began releasing a series of classic arcade games. These games were originally created in the
1980s and 1990s by Data East Corp. in Japan and have been modified to run on the Zeebo system. The titles include
Caveman Ninja (originally known as Joe & Mac), Spinmaster, Super Burger Time and Dark Seal (also known as
Gate of Doom).
In June, 2010, in advance of the World Cup, Zeebo released the first of its Football Club ("F.C") titles, Zeebo F.C.
Foot Camp, developed by Zeebo Interactive Studios in Brazil. It includes four mini-games, each emphasizing a
particular soccer skill, such as dribbling, juggling and goal-kicking. Along with Zeebo F.C. Foot Camp, the company
released Zeeboids, an application that enables users to create personal characters ("avatars") to be used with the
Football Club games. Also in June, Zeebo announced a variety of forthcoming games from independent developers
such as Digital Chocolate, Fishlabs, Limbic Software, Twelve Interactive and Vega Mobile.
Zeebo
602
In Brazil, the Zeebo is sold with three free games embedded FIFA 09, Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City and
Brain Challenge (known in Portuguese as "Treino Cerebral"). Three other games, all in Portuguese, are available for
free download with new systems: Prey Evil, Zeebo Extreme Rolim and Zeebo Extreme Jetboard. More 30 other
titles are available for purchase (via Z-Credits) and download.
On September 1, 2010 Zeebo announced a number of new games and educational applications to be launched in
2010 and 2011. They include a new Zeebo Football Club game, called Zeebo F.C. Super League; a series of titles
from Disney Interactive Studios, including Disney All Star Cards, Alice in Wonderland and Jelly Car 2; and a series
of titles based on the popular Monica's Gang ("Turma da Monica") comic books in Brazil from cartoonist Mauricio
de Sousa.
In Mexico, the console includes five free embedded game titles (Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, Pac Mania, Tekken
2, Zenonia and Zeebo Family Pack). More than a dozen games were available for wireless purchase at the time of the
Mexican launch in November, 2009. More than a dozen more have since been introduced, all in Spanish. Zeebo has
also announced that the English language teaching company Interlingua will be developing entertainment and
education applications for the console.
In addition to games and educational content, the console provides access to more than 50 web sites, grouped in
subject categories, called "Z-Channels."
ARM11 / QDSP-5 in Qualcomm MSM SoC running at 528 MHz
[3]
ATI Imageon, later renamed to Adreno
1 GB eNAND Flash
128 MB NAND Flash in MCP
160 MB RAM, 128 MB DDR SDRAM in MCP + 32 MB stacked DDR SDRAM in MSM7201A
VGA (640480) 4:3 aspect ratio
3G (scaling back to 2.5G or 2G where necessary)
3 USB ports 2.0 Standard A (for accessories)
SD Card Slot / Interface
Interface: USB HID
Power: AC adapter 5V 3A
Consumption: 15 W max.
Graphics: 4million triangles / second
Audio: 8 channels simultaneous MP3, ADPCM, MIDI
Resolution: 640480
Size: W D H 157 215.4 44mm
Weight: 1.3kg (3lb)
Zeebo
603
Development
Content for the Zeebo is based on the BREW platform and is created using the Zeebo SDK, downloadable from the
Zeebo Inc. website. Gamepad peripherals are made possible by a BREW extension. The Zeebo system supports
OpenGL ES 1.0/1.1. Applications are downloaded wirelessly over-the-air and commonly range in size from
525MB.
References
[1] The Zeebo game console: Why it matters | The Digital Home - CNET News (http:/ / news. cnet. com/ 8301-13506_3-10252999-17. html)
[2] Zeebo - the fourth game console? | Tech News on ZDNet (http:/ / www. zdnet. com/ news/ zeebo-the-fourth-game-console/ 288825)
[3] Tectoy, Qualcomm Aim Emerging Video Game Markets with Zeebo. Zeebo Presents Gaming For The Next Billion (http:/ / www. xbitlabs.
com/ news/ multimedia/ display/ 20090323163712_Tectoy_Qualcomm_Aim_Emerging_Video_Game_Markets_with_Zeebo. html) // XBit
Labs, Anton Shilov, 03/23/2009
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zeebo.
Official Corporate Website (http:/ / www. zeeboinc. com/ ) (International)
Article Sources and Contributors
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ColecoVision Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=622842289 Contributors: 786b6364, A Man In Black, A Quest For Knowledge, APDzie, Akradecki, Amcaja, Angela, Anomie,
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Epoch Cassette Vision Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=576073453 Contributors: 3579 R. Bert St., Antaeus Feldspar, Arosio Stefano, BokicaK, Celique, Chowbok, Daniel
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Game Boy Color Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=620453626 Contributors: -Ozone-, 041744, 13139913, 213.224.83.xxx, 2OO.3OO.2OO.3OO, A Max J, A wild Rattata,
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